Saga of Light: The Dreamers, The Destroyer, and The Departed
by SirAngelo
Summary: Sora, Kairi, and Riku are summoned to take their Mark of Mastery Exam, to travel through their own hearts in an attempt to seek realization, power, and repair the damage rent to their hearts. But, as our heroes seek to better understand themselves and to find a way to restore their lost friends to life, a fearsome new foe enters the scene: He is Decade, The Destroyer of Worlds.
1. Let The Dreamers Dream, part 1

**DDD**

**The Dreamers, The Destroyer, and The Departed  
****Chapter One  
****Let The Dreamers Dream, Part 1**

* * *

_**Look up upon the stars, where the shining sagas unfold  
Just like constellations, by connecting them together  
A new legend will begin**_

_**Go through the dimensions, flickering like an aurora  
And dive into that parallel world**_

* * *

"She's late. We were suppose to meet at noon. It's almost one."

"It's not like any of us were doing anything today. We have time to kill."

"Besides, this is nice. When was the last time the three of us spent a quiet afternoon like this?"

It was not too long ago, that the people of the Radiant Garden Kingdom, and the people of it's neighbouring nations, couldn't imagine three friends enjoying a sunny late summer's day in the capital, having lunch and a casual chat with each other. And yet, that day had come. Maleficent and her conspirators had been cast away and defeated. Organization XIII had their grand machinations ruined, with their members falling one by one. The shadows that seized the kingdom's light for over a decade, that spread beyond the Garden's borders to twist and ravage the other nations of the world, had been purged, with peace and prosperity returning at long last. Those who stubbornly clung to the ruinous remains of their lives found their determination and patience rewarded. Those who fled in terror, or were scattered to the four corners of the land by powers beyond their control, finally returned to something both new and familiar. Where once the city only knew a derelict castle inhabited by horrors and monsters, eventually giving away to a quiet, solemn town, now stood a bustling city and thriving marketplace; a place thousands and thousands – and soon to be millions – of people called home.

And those three friends who were enjoying this sunny day in this lively place, happened to be what were, in essence, the architects of the Radiant Garden's return to glory. The Three Warriors of the Keyblade – Sora Kido, Kairi Shiratori, and Riku Akiyama – had come a long, long way themselves, from carefree children on their island paradise to mature young adults, ready to make the most of their burgeoning adulthood.

A week ago, the three were each contacted individually by Aqua, the stoic and collected Keyblade Master, who broached the subject of the four of them meeting up for lunch. Sora and Kairi were more than happy and excited with the opportunity presented – this was the first time any of them had heard from Aqua in well over a month, she had vanished into the furthest depths of space on her own personal quests, whereas Riku had recently moved off of their home Islands to the capital city of the Garden, and his absence from their everyday lives was incredibly noticeable, especially for Sora. Riku, himself, may have lacked the outward elation of his two friends, but deep down, this would prove an enjoyable sojourn for him, as well. In fact, he was adamant on the location for their little meet-up, having become a regular at Montblanc, and wanting to show off his favourite haunt to his friends.

And so the three friends found themselves at their little table on the sidewalk outside the cafe, chatting each other up, catching up on the various going-ons in their lives, and enjoying the coffee (for Riku), tea (for Kairi), and smoothies (for Sora) the cafe offered, while also snacking on a variety of deserts and pastries, as well as the specialty meat pies the cafe was famous for, called _tourtières_.

"This is really nice." Kairi repeated herself, musing aloud while idly fiddling with her food. She had decided to treat herself with a slice of red velvet cake, her favourite dessert. "Not just being together, again, I mean. But, being here..." The redheaded girl had dressed in a style that split the difference between her own and Aqua, a woman she deeply idolized, wearing a similar halter top to the older woman typically wore, but coloured bright white, trimmed with red and gold piping. The black choker Sora had given to her for Christmas was fastened over top the collar, it's crown medallion glinting slightly. "Just the fact that the city is full of life and people, it's like any place back home. It's completely normal, after so much time and so much pain." Over top the halter was a shoulderless jacket, bright pink at the body and deeper crimson at the shoulders, with two tails extended down past her hips. Her outfit was completed with a pleated skirt, checkered in pink and black, and boots extending just below her knees. "It's wonderful. Like, all of our effort throughout the years has paid off; all these people get to live their lives to the fullest now. It feels good!" She punctuated her speech with a beamish smile, scooping up a big piece of her cake with her fork.

"You're right, Kai." Sora said, nodding in agreement with his girlfriend, as the redhead swiveled around, throwing her legs across the brunet's lap, making sure her boots hung over the edge of his legs. "But it wasn't just our hard work. Everything Leon and the others did, too, to bring their home back. It must be beyond rewarding for all of them." Sora had taken to keeping the back of his hair trimmed fairly neatly, where the front still splayed out in a grand spikey crown. The teen had also started growing a slight goatee on his chin; it certainly needed some work, but it wasn't bad looking for a seventeen year old, and, thankfully, his hairs on his chin were no where near as spikey on the top of his head. "The Hollow Bastion Restoration Committee sure did come a long way..." Sora was wearing a loose hoodie sweater, black with gold and blue, over top a red and white t-shirt. His omnipresent crown pendant was there, of course, along with a pair of cargo shorts that matched his hoodie, and a pair of canvas sneakers to finish off.

Gently rubbing Kairi's legs, while wistfully musing some more in his head, something else soon caught Sora's eye. "Although..." He leaned to his left, his sight trailing a passerby – a man with darker skin and some odd ornamentation wrapped around his waist. It was segmented and chitinous, ending with a barbed stinger. Sora knew that that wasn't just some strange, stylish belt, but a part of the man's body; a tail. "I knew about the moogles 'n stuff, but I never expected Radiant Garden to be full blown fantasy world." Eyes quickly scanning the crowd of people hustling down the street, Sora could see one or two others with the stinger tails, plus a diminutive man with feathery wings and dark scales running down his neck and arms, as well as a tall, muscular woman with curved horns growing out of the side of her head.

"It's not really 'fantasy' if it's occurring in real life before your eyes." Riku groused, draining the contents of his coffee cup. The oldest of the trio certainly looked the part, with an edge of weariness in eyes eyes versus Sora and Kairi's bright effervescence, also baring scars – both physical and mental – of his battles and struggles. "And stop staring, wouldya! Honestly..." The silver-haired boy had taken to keeping his hair at length with his jawline, the bangs lopped short, and was dressed in a typical style for him: dark leather jacket, t-shirt, jeans, and running shoes. Though, in a slight twist, his shirt was a gentle sky blue in contrast to the dark colouration of his pants and jacket. "I still remember the first time we explored the city – you spotted a viera woman down by the waterfront and, yelling loud enough for the entire street to hear, declared 'That's a bunny girl!'." Riku shook his head in dismay.

"Well, I was surprised." Sora said in an innocent voice. "And I got excited because it was something knew and different. You know I like seeing and experiencing new things, man."

"I also know that you lack any manner of tact, you moron." Came Riku, through clenched teeth, as he leaned back in his chair, arms folded over his chest.

Sora brushed off the insult, hands still resting on Kairi's legs. "So, yeah, it's cool knowing this place is full of others. Like, the bunny people..."

"Viera." Riku corrected.

"Cat people..."

"Lowenis"

"Scorpion people..."

"Skarren."

"Dragon people..."

"Gria."

"...And the cow people."

"Bhravaa." After a quick pause, Riku added. "And they're not cows."

"But they're tall and muscular and have horns." Sora quickly pointed out.

Riku's face scrunched up in annoyance, nodding along. "Yeah, yeah. Race of giants and amazons there." Reflexively, he went to take a drink, forgetting he had already finished it. "And then there's also the Azryn and Seladyne." This caused his friend to lean in with great interest.

"Ooh, what're they like?"

"Dunno. There isn't a high population of them in the Garden, as of yet."

"You know, I'm not surprised that you know so much about the people of the Garden, Riku." Kairi said, while polishing off the remainder of her cake, a mischievous smile creasing it's way across her lips.

The silver-haired boy's eyes narrowed in suspicion. "And what is that suppose to mean?"

"I've spoken with Aerith and Yuffie and the others, they've filled me in on some of your adventures." She teased gently. "You must make quite the scoop for the tabloids, right? 'The handsome young Keyblade Hero who's out and about on the town with a different bae every few weeks'." She batted her eyes. "Something like that?" Riku only scowled in distaste.

"Aerith should take some of her own advice and stop paying attention to that trash. And that ninja brat is creepy stalker – I caught her breaking in to my apartment – don't trust a single word she says." Once more, Riku went to take a sip from his cup, only to find it still empty. "Come on..." he muttered under his breath, "where is he? I could use another refill, especially if she's dragging..."

At this point, Kairi was like the cat that had caught the canary, clearly having a little bit of fun with her taunting of Riku. Sora was occupying himself with his acai and mog-berry smoothie, sucking the dregs down while observing the banter between his two friends.

With a grin on her face, Kairi continued. "You don't have to be embarrassed, you know -"

"I'm not embarrassed, I just want people to leave me and my private life alone."

"I always thought there was something about you, about how you never had a girlfriend back home." Riku had begun gnashing his teeth, staring dead-on at Kairi as she spoke. "I mean, you weren't gay or ace, that was clear enough, but despite all the attention you got from everyone...nothing. And now I've seen you with a viera girl, a skarren girl and a gria girl... well, it all makes sense. You're not not attracted to women, you're just not attracted to _human_ women. You're a xenoph-"

With a low growl, Riku balled up his fist, reaching across the table and smashing his fist down atop Kairi's thigh.

"I hate that word." Riku said, finally, while Kairi cursed under her breath, rubbing her leg. By now, she had recalled them from her boyfriend's lap, planting her feet back on the ground.

Despite the physical punishment, Kairi would not relent. It was fun needling the normally stoic and controlled Riku. "What word? 'Xenophile'?"

That comment earned her a swift kick to the shin

"Exactly."

The redhead looked over to Sora, who just shrugged. Riku could just be so stiff and clenched-up at time, it was ridiculous. Who cares if he only was interested in woman from other races? Rabbits and dragons and scorpions, it made no difference, to Kairi at least. She just wanted her friend to be happy with his new life.

Rubbing the sore spots on her leg, Kairi spoke up, "So, tell me, when are we going to get to meet your girlfriend?"

"I don't have a girlfriend." Riku refuted coolly. "I've never had a girlfriend." This left Kairi confused.

"Well, what have you been doing with all these girls?"

"He's only in it for the casual sex." Sora replied.

_That_ earn Sora a swift kick in the shins.

"Don't make it sound so tawdry." The silver-haired young man spat. Leaning back in his chair, Riku shut his eyes and folded his arms across his chest, striking a contemplative and lecturing pose. "I'm an adult, and sometimes I want to spend quality time with other adults. Sure, sometimes it becomes something physical and a little romantic, but no one is looking for anything more than a quick connection. Something with no strings attached." His eyes opened slightly, casting sly look towards the young couple. "Besides, not everyone are complete romantic saps like the two of you."

Small smiles broke into big chuckles, and then in to even larger laughs, as Sora and Kairi took in the moment. Even Riku joined in the reverie, releasing a small grin. This was nice. Just being together, able to talk about nonsense that didn't matter, and laugh at stupid jokes that only made sense to the three of them.

Just like old times.

"So, can I ask Riku," Sora said a short while later, idly fiddling with his drink's straw, "What's it like to be with a girl with a scorpion tail?"

Riku coughed and blushed slight. Great. Now they had license to ask questions. "Well, Helya said she had her venom glands removed when she was a kid, but I don't know..." He trailed off, trying to avoid an embarrassing conversation, when he caught himself trying to drink from his empty coffee cup again. "Come on!" Riku began to scan the surrounding, looking for someone. "Where are you, Njosii? I'm dieing here!"

Riku's cry was answered almost immediately, by a rhythmic _click-clack_ against the cobblestone sidewalks that surrounded Montblanc. A young man with rich brown skin was approaching the group, wearing the apron uniform of the cafe staff, a coffee pot in hand.

"Now, Riku, just because you're a regular and a celebrity around here, doesn't mean we can start giving you special treatment." The waiter chided with a knowing grin. His nose was small and inset, barely extending out from his face, and he possessed rather large eyes, which were a deep, red claret colour. Two long rabbit ears extended from top of his head, cresting above a mop of mussy, strawberry blond hair. Reaching the table, Riku instinctively held his empty cup out for a refill, which the viera man quickly began the process of. "Especially when you don't do the service of introducing your favourite waiter to your friends." He said whilst considering Sora and Kairi on the other end of the table.

"Sora, Kairi, this is Njosii, he works here, is the owner's son, and is also a huge pain in my ass. Njosii, this is...well, you probably know them well enough already." After the introduction, Riku took a deep drink, letting loose a content sigh as he swallowed the dark, rich, heavenly liquid.

"Pleased to meet you, Njosii." Kairi greeted pleasantly, standing up to shake his hand. "Good to see there are people here that can keep Riku in line."

The viera chuckled politely. "Oh, think nothing of it, Princess." Kairi blushed nervously at the use of her unofficial title. "Trading shots with Riku always helps a slow shift pass by much quicker."

During this, Sora had his eyes transfixed on something on the ground, before looking back up at the waiter. "Good to meet ya, too, Njosii. But, uh, question..." The blond gave him an inquiring look, silently urging him to continue. "...Why are you wearing high heels?"

Indeed, the young man was wearing a pair of open-toes stilettos, revealing the typical elongated viera foot structure, capped with clawed toes.

"Sora, don't be rude." Kairi lightly censured her boyfriend.

"I asked a question. How is that rude?"

Riku scoffed. "You honestly do have no tact." Njosii waved his hand dismissively, smiling graciously.

"No, no, it's alright. He's just curious, it's perfectly natural." Sora gave both Riku and Kairi a look of "told you so", as Njosii continued. "You see, Sora, viera walk with digitgrade locomotion – oh, we walk only on our toes, not our soles or heels." Njosii offered the further explanation after seeing the quizzical look on Sora's face. "Also, the metatarsal and phalanx bones in our feet are much longer than that of a human's, or the other races. So, to improve our balance, all viera – male and female – wear heeled footwear. I've been walking in heels since I was three!" He said that last part with a touch of whimsical pride in his voice.

"Wow, you're probably better in heels than I am." Said Kairi, sincerely impressed.

Njosii's ears wiggled, as his shoulders bounced. "Probably."

"Njosii. If you're done hobnobbing with the stars, I could use a hand inside." Everyone turned their heads to see an odd-looking moogle floating in the doorway of the cafe. He was actually dressed in clothing (brown slacks and a green sweater vest) and wearing thick horn-rimmed glasses and presenting facial hair – actual, factual facial hair – a neat pencil-thin moustache and a Van Dyke goatee.

Also, he didn't say "Kupo" once.

The viera boy nodded and waved back to the moogle. "Coming, pop!" He then faced back to his customers and bowed slightly. "I'll be back shortly to settle your bill. Sora, Kairi, it was wonderful to meet you." Njosii flashed a warm and welcoming smile, which fell when he went to address his regular. "Riku...I'll see you tomorrow, I suppose." The silver-haired young man nodded in affirmation, with a quirk of his eyebrows.

"Not getting rid of me that easily..."

"Oh, a viera can dream. At least you tip well." With another friend wave, Njosii quickly trotted off back into the shop.

"Wait, one sec." Sora said, before the waiter had even vanished into the cafe. "You said his dad ran the cafe." Sora pointed at Riku, who, once more, nodded in response. "But he just called that moogle 'pop'..."

"Njosii's adopted, Sora." That was the other thing that came about from The Fall – Maleficent's conquest and rule. Riku knew there were many, many people in the city, in the country, who were separated from their families and loved ones, sometimes permanently. Both Njosii and Boss Monty had lost most of their family during that decade of darkness, but they were able to find each other and try and build something new.

Riku looked up from his contemplative lapse to see that his friends weren't even paying attention. Two women had walked up to them and they were clearly enamored with a chance to see and talk with the two Keyblade Warriors. They were in the midst of taking a flurry of selfies on the two stranger's phones.

"Better them, than me..." Riku said under his breath, while fishing his phone out from his pockets. He took another look at the time and, when the two women were satisfied and departed, he announced, "This is getting ridiculous. When is she gonna show?"

Kairi gave a playful smile. "You know, they say a Keyblade Master in never early or later. They only arrive exactly when they mean to arrive." She joked, while bobbing her head back and forth. Riku was having none of it.

"No one says that. And she's not a wizard, either."

"I mean, she kind of is, isn't she?" Sora brought up. His girlfriend nodded in agreement, but Riku quickly dismissed both of them.

"No she's not! She uses her magic in conjunction with a weapon, and both in equal measure." Riku spoke in a matter-of-fact tone, arms folded over his chest. "That makes her a mage, not a wizard."

The redhead gave a disbelieving look. "Okay, now you're just splitting hairs. She-"

"Yen Sid, wizard! Merlin, wizard!" He punctuated each declaration with a forceful rap on the table's surface. "Gandalf, wizard! Dumbledore, wizard! Schmendrick, wizar-"

"Whoa, hold up there buddy!" Kairi had her hands up in protest, leaning further into the table to get closer to Riku. "If we're defining difference between magic-users, then Schmendrick is no wizard. He's a magician. Don't try to even argue, I've read _The Last Unicorn_ like five or six times."

"'Kay, 'kay, I'll give you that." Riku conceded. Whether Aqua was arriving soon or not, where she was, none of that mattered anymore. The three of them were now wholly engrossed in this one absurd topic. "But it still doesn't disprove my theory that Aqua is not-"

"Wait, what about Doctor Strange?" Sora brought up, also leaning across the table, eyes fixed on Riku. "His he a wizard, or magician, or what?"

"He's a sorcerer, obviously. It's in the title."

"Then Avdol! He's gotta be a wizard." Sora pointed at Riku, a gesture of confidence. "His Stand is Magician's Red!" Riku only shook his head.

"Avdol is a fortune teller and a Stand-User. Not a wizard. He doesn't even use magic, his Stand just happens to be named after The Magician card."

"What about Donald? He's totally a wizard." Came Sora.

Riku shook his head again. "His title is 'Royal Magician'. Ergo, not a wizard."

Kairi quickly rolled her eyes in annoyance. "Okay, if you two are gonna bring in your comics and _JoJos_ for examples, I'm gonna use my shojo series for inspiration." She declared, an attempt to reorient the conversation back to her. "Sakura from _Cardcaptor_ – wizard or no?"

"Not a wizard."

Sora was fiddling with his phone under the table

"But Clow Reed is!"

"No he isn't!"

"How!?"

"Donald just texted me back. He says he's a wizard."

"The duck doesn't get an opinion in this matter!"

And so it went, as for the next ten minutes, the three were consumed with trivial debate. Pulling from both those they knew, and from fiction, trying to solve the question of who was a wizard, and who wasn't, and what constituted a wizard versus a sorcerer versus a mage, etc. So involved did Sora, Kairi, and Riku become, that they actually failed to notice when their fourth finally joined the party.

"I'm sorry, am I interrupting something?" Aqua asked, trying to be polite, but also befuddled by...whatever it was the three were arguing about. What bits she heard all went over her head.

The chatter cut in an instant, as they all looked over to their belated arrival. Aqua was dressed as she was the day she broke out of the Realm of Darkness, over two years ago – black halter top and corset, twin pink belts criss-crossing her chest in an 'X', fastened in place by the stylized heart badge she and her compatriots would wear, an ancient sigil of the Keyblade Masters. The blue-white bell sleeves were draped over her arms, with metallic rerebraces clamped down on her upper arms. The black bike shorts and long thigh-high stockings covered most of her long, athletic legs, accentuated by the short cloth piece tied at her waist, two lengths extending off from either hip. Finally, her feet were clad in pointed, armour-plated boots, along with two anklets that ended in sharp hooks, curving downward on the outside of her ankles. This, everyone knew, was shorthand that Aqua was dressed for business; she only ever wore these specific clothes when she was out on a mission. Whatever she had planned for today, it wasn't simply coffee and lunch with friends.

Regardless, Kairi broke out in a smile when her presence was known, rising to put the older woman in a fond embrace. "Aqua! It's been too long. How've you been?" The blue-haired warrior returned the hug, also visibly happy at being reunited with her friends.

"Good, I've been fine. Busy, but fine." The two broke apart, with Aqua now studying Kairi with a critical eye. For the moment, she wasn't Kairi's friend, but her teacher and Master. "Tell me, have you been keeping up with your training?"

"Absolutely!" Kairi said emphatically, her cheeks slightly puffing with pride. "Every other day, I've been running through the drills you left me. There's no way I'd disappoint my Master!"

Aqua switched back into friend mode, offering a warm and proud smile. "Good." She hadn't worried much about that, Kairi was such a devoted and studious pupil, she knew she would keep training and progressing without her guidance. Leaning over to the side, Aqua offered a greeting to the two boys, as well. "Sora, Riku, good to see you, too. You're both looking well. I hope you two also have been keeping busy."

"More or less, Aqua," said Sora, casually. After taking on Kairi as a pupil, Aqua had offered her services to Sora and Riku, as well, but both turned her down. Riku didn't believe how he fought wouldn't line up with what Aqua planned to teach, while Sora knew how much his girlfriend adored her Master, and didn't want to butt in to their time together. "But things have been good with everyone, it seems, so that makes me happy."

Riku, took a different route for his greeting. "You're late." He stated bluntly, staring directly at her.

"Well, yes and no..." Aqua stated. Slowly, she began to walk around the table the group was seated at, positioning herself so her back was to the cafe building. "I had an ulterior motive with the letter. I never planned on joining your all for lunch. But, with what we have planned, I figured the three of you could use a nice, relaxing afternoon together, as friends."

"Wait, 'we'?" Sora asked.

Aqua nodded. "Master Yen Sid and I. There has been something we've discussing for months, and I think it's about time to follow through with it. But, we'll discuss that more when we get to his Tower. We'll depart whenever the three of you are ready."

Riku quickly finished the remainder of his coffee. "I'm good to go. Better now then never." Both Kairi and Sora made similar motions. "All we have to do is settle the bill." Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Njosii exiting the front door of the cafe.

Before anyone could approach their waiter, or do much of anything, Aqua spun about, withdrawing a one-hundred Gil bill from some hidden recess inside her sleeve. "For their meal. Please, keep the change for yourself."

The viera's eyebrows arched. "Yes ma'am." That was almost three-times the amount of their bill. No way he was arguing against that.

With that settled, Aqua led the three teens away from Montblanc, further down the street.

"I don't know how you arrived here, Aqua, but I did park the _Highwind_ here, but it's a bit further west." Sora brought up, as Aqua led them further away.

"That won't be necessary." She led them to the entrance of a vacant alleyway, motioning for the three to enter. "Seeing as how the Tower moves erratically through the universe, Master Yen Sid has been working on something to allow quick and direct transport for us." With a flick of her wrist, Aqua summoned her Keyblade, Rain Fall, and struck the ground, sending a charge of blazing blue magical energy through it.

In an instant, a spell seal made of shining blue light engraved itself on the ground. Aqua casually walked into the boundary of her seal, as, strange as it may be, this was an everyday occurrence for the woman. "An instantaneous teleportation seal. One-way and one fixed destination only, but it's convenient nonetheless."

There was a brief moment of hesitation, before the three childhood friends crossed the line into the seal.

"I could just Dark Corridor us there and save the hassle and light show." Riku muttered. The four of them each took one quadrant of the seal for themselves, standing in formation like directions on a compass. All at once, Sora, Kairi, and Riku all looked towards Aqua, expectantly, but the blue-haired woman returned their expectant gazes with one of deep, solemn thought.

"Sora. Kairi. Riku." She said softly, in turn. "What we're about to do, what you're about to embark on... I just want to say, I've always been proud of the three of you, and I don't want to place undo pressure on you, but I have great hopes for what you will do today." Raising her Keyblade into the air, the lights of the seal's leylines pulsed and grew, the light burning with greater intensity.

"Now, let's go!"

With one final pulse, the four vanished from the space of the Garden, their bodies flung into the deepest reaches of space in an instance.

**-D/D/D-**

Far away from the brightness and warmth of Radiant Garden, within a lost corner of the Realm of Light, two shadows conversed and conspired.

"And I suppose that is that. The wizard's plan is put in motion, and we are left without any options."

"Without any? Are you serious?"

"He will be using that spell – the Constructed World – the three of them will be placed far from our reach. The hearts sealed within them, even more so."

"There's nothing we can do? We can't enter their hearts through other means?"

"We could. But while they sleep in this world, and dream within the other, it would be pointless. A shame, really, we had plans for those Nobodies."

"...I know someone who can travel there. Someone who can enter even a Constructed World within a heart."

"You cannot mean him – that 'demon'? Getting him involved would be a bad idea; he's too wild, too dangerous."

"The Destroyer will undoubtedly get involved in this, sooner or later As the Key Bearers grow in strength and notoriety, they will attract his attention. As we move forward with our plans, we will attract his attention. Better that he enter this conflict in a manner of our choosing."

"I still don't like this, but... those two are important. As long as we can take hold of one of them, I suppose this risk will be worth it.

"Go. Find The Destroyer, before I regret this course of action."

* * *

_**On The Road, everyone is on a journey  
In order to encounter their true selves  
Let's keep walking for now, for we're all travelers  
Everything spreads out right before my eyes  
To the point where the nine paths will overlap**_

_**The road will probably change, and continue towards a new dawn  
Bear witness to it, Journey Through The Decade**_

* * *

**Featured Song:** "Journey Through The Decade" by GACKT

* * *

_WOO! New story! As previously mentioned, the main reason why I am writing this – and why I am writing this now – is simply because there are ideas and concepts in this story that I have always wanted to do in a Kingdom Hearts story. I'll reveal them as we go along in this story, but some of you may be able to divine a few of my intentions before them._

_-So, just to make things clear, this is a direct sequel to _**She Will Light The Way**_, taking place two years after the events of that story, setting Sora and Kairi at 17, and Riku as 18. And yes, this is a dumb idea, I am more than aware of that fact. And, maybe some of you might be upset that this reveals spoilers of _**Light**_, but really, if you know of me and what I like to write is any of this so surprising? Oh, our heroes win, and Sora and Kairi become a couple, and Kairi has Oathkeeper instead of Destiny's Embrace, and Aqua escapes the Realm of Darkness, big surprise!_

_...Okay, maybe those last two are spoilers. Maybe._

_-I am also taking this story as an opportunity to incorporate some idea I have formed in my own head-canon. One of which is making the Radiant Garden a full blown Final Fantasy world, complete with a full gambit of other races. The Viera_ _are taken wholesale from the _**The Ivalice Alliance** _games; the Lowenis are drawn from the Mithra and Miqo'te from _**FF XI** _and _**FF XIV**_ respectively; the Gria take their name from the race in the _**Ivalice Alliance**_ games, but their appearance is based on both their namesakes and both the Aegyl from the **Ivalice Alliance** and the Au Ra also from _**FF XIV**_; the Bhravaa are also partly based on a _**FF XIV** _race, the Roegadyn, but also have a little bit of the Gerudo from _**The Legend of Zelda**_ series, too. And the Skarren are created from wholecloth._ _Or I just really liked Stinger from Kyuranger. Your pick._

_-Also, I can't be the only one dieing for some meaningful Kairi & Aqua interaction. I still say Kairi should have been involved, somehow, in liberating Aqua in III (to call back to their scene in BBS). But, no, it's Sora. Of course it's Sora. Heaven forbid anyone other than Sora do something in III. Regardless, and to that end, I always thought that Aqua would take Kairi under her wing as an apprentice. Even if in this reality Kairi is far more experienced than she would be, there's still a lot she could learn from her senior. Also, Kairi gets one-on-one time with a woman she idolizes, respects, and has a burgeoning romantic crush for. Why on earth would she refuse Aqua's tutelage?_

_-Another idea is Riku moving away from the Islands and to another world. I always thought it speaks better to his character that, while he is content with his home and now possessing powers that allows him to travel all over, the feelings that made him want to leave the Islands in the first place have not vanished. But now, more mature and more wise from all his misadventures, Riku enacts on his feelings properly; not jumping at a moment's notice, risking the lives of others, or accepting powers he fully doesn't understand, but just... moving on as a part of life. Seeking new horizons, but not severing the ties he stills has with his home. I think that's much more interesting for Riku than "Oh, I guess I'm okay staying on the world I was so desperate to leave not too long ago. I guess. I don't know. I don't have much of a character anymore. I mostly just fail at everything, die to prop up Sora's character, and then get shunted into a random romance with a character I had no romantic build with in prior games"._

_-I also really wanted to capture the spirit that Sora, Kairi, and Riku are old friends, enjoying their lives, catching up, teasing each other, bickering over pointless things... It's something the games forget, I feel. It's always Sora with Riku. Or Sora with Kairi. I mean, when they remember to put Sora on screen with characters other than Donald and Goofy, but I digress. The games fail to put our original trinity back together. The games started with these three young kids, these three friends, who were split up by forces out of their control... and then they barely get to share screentime together. They are always pulled apart, always separated. Even by incredibly forced means in the ending to KH III to set up a stupid side game..._

_TL/DR: Sora and Kairi and Riku are old friends, strongest together, and deserve more time together together._

_But, enough from me. Because we're all on the road, on a new journey together. This chapter may be mostly set up, but you need to set up something to create something good. I hope you all stick with me on this journey. And, as travelers, what are your thoughts so far. Any predictions of where we're going and what Aqua has planned for our three heroes? Any ideas on what it is I am so gung-ho on incorporating in this story? Who were those two shadows that seem to know what is going on? And just what are with these song lyrics? (That one will get explained in next author's notes, I promise). Please don't be afraid to share you thoughts, opinions, compliments or criticism in a review. All are welcome and I look forward to see what the thoughts are on this story._

_Until next time, dear traveler, take care and enjoy yourselves!_


	2. Let The Dreamers Dream, part 2

**DDD**

**The Dreamers, The Destroyer, and The Departed  
****Chapter Two  
****Let The Dreamers Dream, Part 2**

* * *

_**No matter how hard we gaze  
Into the scenery stolen from beyond the lens  
The truth is only something that is projected into the eye of our hearts**_

_**Somewhere, the curtains have opened upon a battle  
And I become a halation that blurs out reality**_

* * *

It all happened in an instance. One moment, Sora, Kairi, Riku, and Aqua were standing in the familiar (if ever-changing) capitol city of the Radiant Garden. A split second later, they hurtled through the endless expanse of space, being deposited on a small, lone island, sitting in a sea of shimmering stars and misty nebulae, the space only occupied by a single, looming tower. Such a lightning-fast trip would leave almost anyone disoriented and confused from the sheer motion and velocity of it all, as the trio of friends quickly found out, all of them needing a moment to gather their bearings. Aqua, however, was either use to this, or made of some sterner stuff, as she seemingly bore no ill-effects from the travel. As soon as she materialized outside the tower, she began her earnest march towards it. Sora, Kairi, and Riku all needed to settle their stomachs and minds before beginning a dogged approach behind the Keyblade Master.

In silence, the group ascended the numerous flights of stairs that made up the tower's interior (Riku made a note that, if he ever needed to do some intense cardio training, he should just come here and run the stairs all day). Even though all four of them were trained warriors, at or near peak physical ability for a human, and possessing a variety of magical and supernatural powers, by the time they fully scaled the mountainous stairways to their apex, they certainly felt the strain and burn in their thighs and calves, and carried a slight hitch in their breathing.

Finally, at the end of it all, Aqua ushered them into the sole room at the top of the tower – the sanctum and study of Yen Sid.

"Ah, welcome, welcome. Sora. Kairi. Riku. I am glad you could arrive in such a timely manner" Yen Sid greeted. The former Keyblade Master and wizened wizard was sat behind his desk (as always), with some manner of ancient tome opened up in front of him. "I do apologize for summoning the three of you on such short notice, but when Master Aqua and I decided upon our course of action, we thought expedience would be a virtue." In a puff of smoke, the tome vanished, with Yen Sid folding his hands over top his desk, signaling his complete and undivided attention towards his guests.

"No worries, no worries. It wasn't much a bother." Sora flashed a smile, remembering his first time meeting the ancient sorcerer. Donald had scolded him for being too casual and lacking deference, but, in Sora's mind, if Yen Sid himself never expressed annoyance or frustration with his attitude, it was probably okay.

The four visitors began orienting themselves around the room. Aqua strode the full length from the door to the desk, standing to the left of the wizard and turning to face the three teenagers. Sora and Kairi both stood front and center before Yen Sid, while Riku hung towards the back of the room, leaning against the curved wall and offering only a glare of suspicion.

_Besides, if Donald were here, he would have more issue with Riku's behaviour than my own._ Sora observed mentally.

"Aqua was vague on the details, but may I ask, what have we been called her for, Master Yen Sid?" Came Kairi, who, unlike the boys, believed in showing some level of deference to her superiors. An ingrained trait from a child of a politician and her training with Aqua.

Yen Sid shut his eyes briefly, ponderously stroking his beard. "How long has it been since the three of your received your Keyblades? I know that for the three of you, it must seem like an eternity, but I can assure you, it has not been nearly as long. For Sora, it has been three years, and two for both Riku and Kairi. And while all of you lack the formal training that has gone hand-and-hand with Key Bearers in the past, your trials by fire served you well in that regard. Your skills were forged and honed by experience on the battlefield, and when the moment came, you always rose to the challenges that crossed your paths. I would not denigrate your abilities or accomplishments, lack of training or otherwise, what you three have done is nothing short of extraordinary, and I personally thank you for your efforts." Yen Sid paused, taking a moment to make eye contact with each young Keyblade Warrior in turn. "But I do believe we have reached a point where throwing any of you into the lion's den and expecting you to learn in the moment will no longer serve as a catalyst for your growth, both as a person and as a warrior. We're at a moment in time where something more is needed for the three of you.

"So, after much deliberation, Master Aqua and I have come to the conclusion that it is time for the three of your to take your Mark of Mastery exams, in an attempt to become fully-fledged Keyblade Masters."

The words crashed over everyone in the room like a tidal wave; shock and awe wrote large on the faces of Kairi and Sora. Even Riku looked mildly surprised and was expressing curiosity. None of the three had really much basis or knowledge of the proper structure regarding ranks or titles of the ancient Keyblade Warriors, but they still knew "Master" was not a title thrown around lightly or given out liberally. Aqua's friend Terra was a skilled and noble warrior, and he had failed to achieve the title. King Mickey, for all of his skill and spirit, had moments of doubt where he believed he was not worthy of being called Master. For them to be given this opportunity... it had never even crossed the minds of Sora or Kairi that they would receive a formal exam of this magnitude. They were completely blindsided and at a loss for words.

With the two lovers failing to respond, Riku stepped in instead, with a different line of questioning.

"Why?" He intoned deeply. Yen Sid met his steely gaze, but did not reply, causing Riku to continue speaking. "Why now, after all this time? Why now, at this point in time?" After a brief moment, the young man visibly bristled, his body coursing with an intense and dangerous energy so potent, it was almost tangible. "Don't tell me... Is Xehanort or some other iteration of him coming back? Is this all just-"

"Xehanort is no more." Yen Sid countered, raising the volume of his booming voice ever so slightly. "Your efforts to best both his Heartless and Nobody have ensured that his presence in the Realm of Light has finally come to an end. The pain he and his ilk wrought still remains," Yen Sid briefly turned to look at Aqua, "but he will inflict no more damage upon any innocent lives. For that, you all have my eternal gratitude."

This seemed to calm Riku down. The energy about him dissipated, his face returning to a more neutral and observant expression.

"But, Riku does raise a point," said Kairi. "Why now? The worlds have been at peace since the Organization fell, nothing more major than a few Heartless outbreaks in nearly two years."

"While that is certainly true, we cannot rest upon our laurels during peacetime." Yen Sid had tented his hands again, as he addressed the collective. "Vigilance is a virtue. There may be a time in the near future where the three of you are required to take up arms again; having you at top fighting form and with your potential unleashed to it's fullness will be a necessity. There may be a time in the far future where the power of the Keyblade is needed once more; obtaining Mastery will give you the license needed to give others the potentials to wield Keyblades, as well as to take on apprentices as you see fit. We do not need a repeat of a decade without a Key Bearer in the Realm of Light.

"I pray and hope that days like those never come to pass, that the worlds may experience everlasting peace and safety. But I am afraid simply praying is not a luxury we can afford, we must always prepare for the worse, however unknown it might be."

The three Key Bearers took in Yen Sid's words, Sora and Kairi nodding along in agreement to both his logic and his sentiments. However, Riku only shifted uncomfortably against the wall. "Yeah, I think I will be sitting this one out." He said coolly, averting his gaze from both Aqua and Yen Sid. "Doesn't seem like there is anything I can get from this."

"Riku, honestly." Aqua scoffed, eyes narrowed in focus at the silver-haired teen. While it took a lot to rattle her normally serene and gracious disposition, Riku's constant indifference, dismissal, and arrogance regarding the tenants and legacy of the Keyblade Warriors – tenants that were deeply ingrained within Aqua, a legacy that she intended to keep alive and nurture and grow – definitely and always did do that. He was still a good kid with a good heart, but he could be so damned frustrating at times. "You're being given an incredible chance at such a young age. Mastery is never offered to those as young as the three of you. I was a prodigy for obtaining it at the age of twenty. Do you have any idea what kind of chance you're being given here?"

"No, I don't. And I don't care, either way." Came Riku's reply, eyes now locked on Aqua, matching her steely gaze with his own hard, and icy stare. "I've told you before, I don't care about 'titles' or 'ranks', 'the history of the Keyblade' or 'the legacy of my forebearers'. None of that stuff matters to me. The reason why I wield the Keyblade is the power if offers me. It is a tool, and nothing more."

Aqua reared back to fire a counter blow, only for Yen Sid to play mediator, raising a hand for silence. Immediately, Aqua fell back in line, but still shot a disappointed frown at Riku.

"Personal feelings aside, I would ask you refrain from making a decision until after I fully explain what this exam will entail." The wizard then looked directly at Riku, adding, "Besides, I would urge the three of you to take part in this regardless, for there are benefits to be reaped besides simply the title of 'Master'." Riku relented, but he still didn't seem particularly taken or enamored by the idea.

"First, the structure and nature of this test." With a wave of his hand, and a puff of smoke, a door appeared on the wall to the left of Yen Sid, perfectly opposite of where Riku was standing. If anyone ever wanted to understand the scope of the ancient sorcerer's power, knowing that he could just casually create and remove rooms within his tower with nary a hint of effort, gave a decent ballpark. "Within that chamber, I will cast a spell that will place the three of you in a deep slumber. In that sleep, you will enter mental worlds – known as a 'Constructed World' – within your heart, formed from your memories and from your connections with others in life. The world is sealed within the heart itself, so you shall take this task alone, and no one may interfere in your exam. While the worlds you will find yourselves in are not real, I would advise you act as if they are; you never know what your actions may have on others, when your hearts are bound by such intense magicks.

"Each world will seem familiar to you, but there will be a 'corruption', an 'aberration', within the world that you must find, and purge. The trial you face in the world may take the form of an enemy you must slay, a difficult choice you must make, a personal realization you must obtain, but the form it take is irrelevant. You simply must overcome it. After eliminating the corrupting elements, you will find a keyhole that will take you to a new Constructed World. You will do this three times, through three separate Constructed Worlds, and then, you will face one final trial formed from the deepest fears and flaws your hearts can muster. You will have to triumph against yourself, in one manner or another, to succeed. Only when you have passed through these four trials, will you obtain your Mark of Mastery."

Silence fell upon the room. This was a lot take in, both the gravity of the situation, what Sora, Kairi, and Riku were being asked to do, and the concepts at play here. Even Riku seemed to be taking this seriously, eyes leveled with the floor, chewing and scrutinizing on Yen Sid's every word.

Finally, Sora took it upon himself to ask, "And what happens if we can't succeed? What happens if we fail at these trials?"

"If you cannot overcome the corruptions you encounter, if you deviate from the path set up for you, or if you were to fall in combat within these worlds...you fail. But do not think that failure here is a finality in obtaining your Mastery." Yen Sid's expression softened slightly, granting sympathetic looks towards the three. He was clearly cognizant as to how much pressure he was placing upon them. "If you fail here, we will try again at some other point in time. Failure is not an endpoint, but something else we can draw knowledge from."

"All the same..." Kairi bit down on her bottom lip in deep thought. "This seems a little involved for an exam," she turned to look at Aqua, "Master, didn't you say your exam was simply some exhibition fights and a duel?"

The blue-haired woman nodded. "Yes, that was true. We had many discussions as to what form your exam should take– not just the two of us, but King Mickey, as well. Whether it be more traditional, or more radical. One uniform exam for all of you, or separate personalized trials. In the end, our decision to use the Constructed World spell was because you all lack formal training, we felt something more rigorous was necessary. And, also, there are other benefits to be had from diving through your own hearts."

With another wave of his hand, Yen Sid caused several figures to suddenly appear upon his desk, engraved into the surface of the wood. "Indeed. Throughout your adventures, your hearts have also suffered such intense trauma." Among the carved images included a Shadow Heartless, Riku both possessed by, and assuming the form of, Ansem, Kairi's lifeless body, and Sora asleep in the memory pod following the journey through Castle Oblivion. And then, there were the three who were lost, who hearts were buried deep within Sora and Kairi – Roxas and Namine and Ventus. "You have lost your hearts, they have been possessed and subsumed by other beings, split into two, and then fused back together, and served as home housing the hearts of others." The wizard clicked his tongue in sadness. "So much pain have you taken in, I fear your hearts are in terrible condition, they may threaten to break once more."

All three of the wielders looked ashamed, not necessarily because this was any of there fault, but because it was true. Because it dredged up painful memories. They had been through so much, it was hard sometimes to remember these things, to realize the lasting effects and the damage. The deepest scars were always the ones you couldn't see with the naked eye.

"As you will be traveling through your own hearts, I believe it will grant you a chance to heal the wounds rent large across them." Yen Sid continued, his tone hopeful. "And also, while you have done well learning about your Keyblades as of now, there are numerous expressions and forms the Keyblade can take, being an extension of your truest selves. There is more power and potential to be revealed from them, and while the purpose of this test is not simply to gather more raw physical strength, you will hopefully also be able to obtain a more tangible result, in addition to spiritual balance and self realization."

Everyone present had to do their best to restrain a knowing smile when Riku's interest piqued, the moment Yen Sid mentioned "power". Even Master Yen Sid. Sometimes, he was so one-track, so easy to read, so easy to manipulate.

Taking over for the elder Master, Aqua spoke up and concluded. "That is the task we have set out for you. I understand that it seems monumental, so, if you wish to bow out," she looked directly at Riku, who met her gaze. He didn't even flinch. "If you wish to bow out, for whatever reason, we will not judge you. And if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask them." Sora's hand shot up, as if he were in school. Aqua was a little taken aback by the gesture, but bid him permission to speak.

"So, it's inner worlds. Worlds within us. Three gates we have to pass through. And then a final trial. Find and defeat some sort of corruption. Achieve some kind of realization about ourselves." For each point he made, Sora counted them out on his fingers, as if trying to keep all the information in the right place, and in the right order. To be fair to him, the concept was a little mind boggling. When Aqua nodded in affirmation, Sora mirrored the gesture, joyfully declared, "Alright! Then I'm in!"

Aqua looked pleased, chuckling to herself. "I figured you would be the first one, and you would dive in enthusiastically, Sora."

The brunet beamed, rubbing the tip of his nose with his index finger. "Well, you know I can't say no to a challenge, no matter how hard it may seem. Plus, if you guys," he gestured to the two Masters before him, "and the King think we're ready, then there's no way I can let you three down. I'll give it a hundred percent!"

With Sora's decision confirmed, both Keyblade Masters had their eyes trained on Riku and Kairi. Riku was still leaning against the wall, both his face and body language were inscrutable and nigh unreadable. In contrast, Kairi had hesitation written large across her whole being, once more chewing on her bottom lip.

"I don't know...I want to say yes, but..." Kairi looked up, looked directly at Aqua. Looking for guidance from the woman she idolized. "Do you really think I'm ready for this, Master? Even though I lack the ability and experience Sora and Riku do?" While she never said it out loud, Kairi often did wonder if she was truly worthy of the Keyblade, even after all she had been through. Sometimes, it only felt like a twist of fate that she was even here in the first place. One big chain of coincidences. She only had the potential to wield a Keyblade because she accidentally touched Aqua's when she just a child. She was only able to summon it – and not by her own volition, the first time – after Sora gave himself up for the Organization, in exchange for her freedom. She wondered that, if Sora had never done that, would she even be close to being in this position? Or would she still be that everyday, ordinary teenage girl back on Salm?

Aqua immediately stepped forward, to buoy her charge's hopes. "Kairi, I know sometime it's easy for doubt to creep in, but there's more to being a Key Bearer than just pure power." She said, putting a comforting hand on the girl's shoulder. Just that brief, minor physical contact was enough to dissuade some of the issues plaguing her. "You may lack the experience that they have, you may feel your skills are lacking in comparison, bu there is much more to you than that." Her voice was steadily rising, both in volume and passion. "You are an infinite source of empathy to everyone around you, and always go out of your way to help those in need. You are more than worthy of attempting this, and I know this – we all know this – because we have seen the depths of your compassion and determination firsthand. Those are the traits I believe a true Keyblade Master needs to possess."

Kairi felt her whole body flush and heat up, causing her to avert looking Aqua in the eyes. While Aqua was always willing to complement her whenever she did well, it was so rare she would give such full-throated adulation. Coming from such a woman...it felt special. "Well, how can I say no after hearing all that?" She turned her head back up, beaming confidently. "I promise, I won't let you down, Master!"

And then everyone looked towards Riku to give his response, the young man simply shrugging.

"It would be a pretty bad look if I were the only one to say no, right? Count me in then, I guess." With his choice confirmed, Yen Sid nodded in satisfaction.

"Very well. I am pleased all of you have come to that decision. Master Aqua will lead you into the chamber and then seal it behind her. Once it is sealed, I will cast the spell that will send all of you into a deep sleep. One final word of advice before we begin. While you are within this deep sleep, within this dream, time will flow differently. You will encounter people and scenarios familiar to yourselves. You will experience pain and loss and frustration, joy and community and satisfaction. But do not be afraid of what you encounter, what you feel, and what you leave behind. This is a test of discovery, as much as it is one of skill. Keep moving forward, and you will eventually find the answers you need to advance." Yen Sid then rose from his chair, standing at full height behind his desk. "Sora. Kairi. Riku. I wish you the best on this endeavor, and am eager to see what results the three of you will create."

The elder Keyblade Master then bowed his head, deference to the three... not pupils, but the three young, fledgling warriors, about to take on a colossal task. Kairi and Sora, in a show of respect, returned the bow, while Riku just slightly inclined his head in the direction of Yen Sid.

With that finished, Aqua ushered the three into the chamber Yen Sid had recently conjured into existence. The feat of creation was a little less impressive when it was discovered the inside of the chamber was only furnished by three bare cots arranges in a triangle, with a single light hanging above them. At least the cots all came with a fluffy, downy pillow, for comfort. That was something.

Riku immediately rolled onto one of the cots, lying face-up with his legs crossed at the knees. Whereas Sora and Kairi took each other in the arms and began kissing one another, for luck and for separation. The silver-haired teen made a disgusted noise and turned his head away.

"Best of luck, hun." Sora wished in between smooches. Peppering both her cheeks, he said, "And don't be so hard on yourself. Just listen to Aqua, you're amazing.

"I know, I know," she admitted, pulling Sora closer into her grip. "It's just so easy to get lost in my head. And..." She sighed. Sora was just so damn sunny sometimes, it was impossible to be anything but cheery in his presence. "I'll try to remember what you and Aqua keep telling me. And I'll do my best." Kairi then cupped her boyfriend's cheeks and pulled him in to a deep kiss, reveling in the warmth of his body and the slippery sensation of his tongue.

Riku cleared his throat, loudly and obnoxiously. "Hurry up, lovebirds. We're here for a test, not to watch you two suck face."

Suddenly, the two young lovers became abundantly aware that they were in the presence of not only Riku (who didn't really matter, they had made out in front of him dozens of times before) but also Aqua. The two awkwardly shuffled apart, Kairi coughing her fist while blushing, Sora scratching the back of his head nervously.

"Sorry Aqua, we kinda got carried away..." Sora apologized. Kairi offered similar explanations, but Aqua just genially waved them off.

"It's okay, I understand the rigors of young love." She then paused for a moment, considering her words. "Well, I don't exactly understand. Or understand at all, really. But that isn't important." As she rambled, Sora and Kairi each took their place on one of the cots. "What truly matters, is that I have faith in all three of you. Good luck to all of you, I'll be waiting for when you awaken."

Bidding farewell, Aqua exited and shut the door behind her, leaving three childhood friends to themselves and the cots.

The light in the room slowly began to dim.

"So, I was thinking," Sora said, lounging on his side. Considering this test involved them entering a deep sleep through magic, he wasn't the least bit drowsy. Not too odd, considering it was the middle of the afternoon. "Let's have a little fun, let's make a wager."

"Sweetie, could you maybe take this seriously?" Chided Kairi. There was deep, vibrating _thrum_ that resonated through the chamber, followed by a pulse of magic that the three could feel prickling against their skin.

"I am taking it seriously," he replied, flashing a big, toothy grin. "That's why I wanna make a bet. How about... the last person to wake up has to buy the other two ice cream?" The light hanging above the room had entirely extinguished itself, casting the chamber in darkness.

"You're seriously putting a wager on whether you can wake up before us?" Riku asked, confidence lacing his voice. This would be too easy. Riku rubbed one of his eyes, they were suddenly feeling very heavy. "I mean, if you feel like making a sucker's bet, far from me to disagree, Sora."

Kairi nodded, and yawned. All of sudden, having a quick catnap sounded really nice. "I know we've all changed a lot, Sora, but you're still that same lazy bum from childhood."

"Yeah, yeah, I..." Sora yawned as well, "I know. But, hey, I just might surprise ya for once."

"Fat chance..." Riku said in a soft voice, his eyes already shut. Kairi was in a similar state, tossing and turning, trying to get in a comfortable position.

"See you guys on the other side then..." Sora mused, dreamily. "When all of us...are Masters..."

Sora shut his eyes, and, in a heartbeat, all three of the Key Bearers drifted off into a deep and peaceful slumber, ready to dream of whatever may come.

**-D/D/D-**

On a far away world, one man lived in long sought after solitude.

He made his home at the top of a lighthouse, the room encircled in panes of glass, granting the man a three-hundred-and-sixty degree field of view of his surrounding areas. The vistas were quite marvelous, too; a great ocean spread out before him to the north, flawless crystal blue waters stretching farther than the eye can see, a thick and verdant forest to the west, a small, bustling village to his east, and an endless stretch of fields, wheat and barely and long grass and wild flowers to the south. Such sights brought peace to the sole inhabitant of the lighthouse, and aided him in his hobby of photography.

But, solitude and peace are fleeting, quickly disrupted as a shadow entered the room.

"Destroyer of Worlds, I am here to-"

"You know, I don't get a lot of guests here. Especially guests that know of my reputation."

The shadow continued, unabated. "I am here to request your services in handling a threat to me and my kin."

"Funny... I don't ever remember entering the mercenary business."

"Knowing who you are, and what you can do, I would not come and risk my life for nothing. I am in need of you, for you're the only one who can enter where I need to go."

"Hmm...fine. Give me your story. I might not erase you, depending on what you say..."

The shadow seemed gracious for such an opportunity. "I need you to take care of a group of people who our potential threats to our agenda. Normally, I would have no such problem dirtying my hands, but they are currently taking an exam that will involve them submitting to the Constructed World spell."

"...And I'm the only being around who can enter those Worlds. That about right?" The shadow nodded. "Who are these people? These 'potential threats'?"

"I take it you've heard about the three Warriors of the Keyblade?"

"Those three kids? The ones who beat that old hag and that group of wannabe fashion models in cloaks? Yeah... I've heard of them. All the big extra-dimensional movers and players have heard of them." The man in the lighthouse now seemed to contemplate what was being asked of him. Who he would be opposing.

"Not only are they a threat to us, but there are beings trapped with in their hearts. A pair of Nobodies. We need to recover them somehow, for they will be of great use to -"

The shadow was cut off when the man in the lighthouse – the so-called "Destroyer" – rose to his feet. He carried an object in either hand, a camera, and a large, gaudy box of some sort, both objects coloured bright magenta.

"I'm going." He said, suddenly.

"What?"

"I think it's long overdue that I pay those three kids a visit. Sitting here, watching from the outside, I don't quite believe the hype, I need to see these three heroes for myself. Besides... The Saviours of Worlds versus the Destroyer of Worlds? Who wouldn't want to see that match-up?"

In an instant, without warning, the man in the lighthouse vanished, the destination for his journey set.

A demon had been unleashed into the world.

* * *

_**On The Road, my reason for leaving on a journey  
To change the future of the world's destruction  
Embraces your dreams, stronger and longer, for we are all dreamers  
And for certain, I know my fate will be  
To stand back up ten times, and when that time comes  
The wind will blow through, creating a new path  
Bear witness to it, Journey Through The Decade**_

* * *

**Featured Song:** "Journey Through The Decade" by GACKT

* * *

_Behold! The great wizard Yen Sid! Master of exposition dumps and plot set ups!_

_-So, as you can all probably now tell, between the title and this chapter (or if you just read the plot summary...) this is sort of a take on _**Dream Drop Distance**. _Not based on any great dissatisfaction I have with the game (like _**Light** _in comparison to _**KHII**_), don't get me wrong, I have issues with the game, but mostly from gameplay and how it serves as set up for _**KHIII**_ but then most of it's set up kind of falls by the wayside by the time that game comes out..._

_Okay, already, I'm rambling. Let's try this again._

_If there is a (one) failing to Dream Drop, it's I feel like it would have been the perfect time to do some reflection and introspection upon the characters. You know, it being the 10th Anniversary game, it's mostly set-up for III, Sora and Riku taking their Mastery exams... it could have been a great opportunity to look at these two characters, how much they've grown, how much they've changed, heading into the big finale of III. But, no, of course not, we just got Disney world filler after Disney world filler before the end of the game, where it became plot plot plot plotplotplot plot nonstop plot. Guess that's just how KH games are going to go from now on..._

_But that is part of the aim of this story, and a goal in-universe with the nature of the test. Sora, Riku, and Kairi going through their hearts and reckoning with themselves, taking a moment to reflect on who they were, what they've done, and where they're going. And obviously, my interpretations of the characters are a little different from how they're portrayed in canon (mostly and pointedly Riku), but this is one of the things I wanted to do with this fic. A bit of a character examination of the three, of our favourite Islanders. The Destiny Trinity. The Best Trinity._

_The Bestiny Trinity!_

_-But, one definite difference between this story and Dream Drop is the absence of Xehanort. Ansem and Xemnas are gone, and so Xehanort – all incarnations of Xehanort – are no more. This not a red herring either, this is true. Xehanort is gone in the Saga of Light. This is partly to show that, yeah, there is actually death and consequences in this universe, and also... I'm kind of tired of the dozen Xehanorts running around. I'm tired of him as an antagonist. Hell, I was tired of him BEFORE he got an unnecessary, out of nowhere Face Turn and got to go to heaven with his best friend – who he killed – after killing a teenage girl on screen. So, to hell with Xehanort (literally), we're on to something new._

_-Now, onto what I promised last time. The song. So, obviously an important part of KH is the music. Music is also a very important of... another element in this story. One of those things I have been wanting to do in a story. I wanted to incorporate the music form that aspect in some way or another, and I think I came up with a good compromise, putting them as prefaces and end faces for the chapters. Partly, because it kind of reminds me of the brief poems Sora always recites at the start of the numbered titles, and also because I find the lyrics of "Journey Through The Decade" are shockingly relevant. Not just to this story, but some of the themes of Kingdom Hearts as a whole, and, surprisingly enough, "Journey Through The Decade" matches up really well with Dream Drop. Like, imagine back when you first picked Dream Drop, and then heard that song, saw those lyrics. You might think they were about the game. I certainly saw a connection, at the least._

_I think that will do it from me this time, but I am curious, as we now have the impetus for our journey, what are your predictions, dear reader? What worlds will our heroes dream of? What challenges will they face? Who is the demon coming their way? And, most importantly... who is gonna lose the ice cream bet?_

_Be sure to drop a line and share your thoughts, comments, questions, criticisms, and theories. I look forward to hearing from you, as I hope you are looking forward to more of the Saga of Light! Take care, and enjoy, everyone!_


	3. Rude Awakenings, Part 1

**DDD  
The Dreamers, The Destroyer, and The Departed  
****Chapter Three  
****Rude Awakenings, Part 1**

Sora woke up.

His eyes fluttered open, as conscious returned to his being. He could feel that he was sitting down on something, his upper body and head propped up on something. A familiar feeling. He couldn't count how many times he had awoken in class to a similar sensation, in a similar position.

Smacking his mouth and stretching out his arms and shoulders, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. After about five minutes of rousing himself out of the state of semi-sleep, Sora finally took the chance to look around and gathered his surroundings. Sora looked up to find a bustling cobblestone street spread out in all directions around him, packed full of shoppers and visitors of all races – human and viera and gria and skarren and bhravaa – and before him was a quaint little coffee shop called "Cafe Montblanc".

Oh, he was on Radiant Garden.

_Wait, what!?_

"Oh my god! Oh my god! How is this possible!?" The brunet panicked, running his fingers through his hair. Already, he was attracting attention from onlookers, but that wasn't a concern. "Calm down, Sora, think, think..." The last thing he remembered was falling asleep alongside Kairi and Riku in that conjured chamber in the Mysterious Tower. _Right. Right! The Mark of Mastery exam._

"Wait, did I dream all that? Did I doze off in the afternoon sun before Aqua came? Did she and Kairi and Riku leave without me?" That all seemed entirely possible, and probable, and a massive mark against him if true. "Oh, man, I bet they're doing all sorts of crazy stuff and I'm missing out 'cause I nodded off like a giant dork! Nice job there, Sora!" In the midst of his commiserations, Sora saw a familiar face out of the corner of his eye. "Hey, Njosii. Njosii!" He flagged down the vieran waiter. "When did Kairi and Riku leave? Do you know where they went?"

Njosii looked at him quizzically. "Sora, what are you talking about? You came here by yourself, said you needed a moment to rest. And then you fell asleep." The waiter grimaced at him, in a half-mocking tone. "I suppose the 'lazy bum' nickname was well-earned."

"That's uncalled for." Sora pouted. But, wait, if he came here by himself, what happened? Where are Riku and Kairi? Did he actually dream about all that stuff at Yen Sid's Tower or-

_That's right! The exam, the Constructed World spell._

With the panic and confusion leaving his body, Sora was now able to clearly remembered the events of...earlier today? He still hadn't worked out how time would work between the waking world and this one, but that wasn't important. What did matter, was he remembered everything. The Mark of Mastery exam, the rules set up for it, and what he needed to complete it. What had happened earlier in the day was not a dream. _This_ was a dream.

This was _the_ dream.

_So this is a 'Constructed World', huh?_ Sora thought, as he left the area of Montblanc and just idly wandered down the streets, lost in thought with no particular destination. _I never expected it would be Radiant Garden. Then again, I didn't really know what to expect. Master Yen Sid did say that they would be formed from our own memories, and from our connections with other people...but that could have meant anything._

Oddly enough, this reality didn't feel like a dream. It certainly felt like the real thing, especially considering he had just been on the actual, physical Garden. But, Sora supposed that that was just part of how the spell worked, creating a seamless blend of sensation and consciousness between waking and dream.

Or something like that. Sora may be a capable spellcaster, but the hard, complicated theory of magic was always something which eluded and disinterested him.

The young Key Bearer made his way into an open plaza square, dominated by one of the many ornate and elaborate water fountains the Garden's capital was famous for. The space was serene and tranquil, with the citizens of the city going about their day, concerned with the mundane matters they confronted and dealt with everyday.

_I know Yen Sid said we had to find some sort of 'corruption' or 'aberration', but...everything seems so peaceful._ Sora thought, as he surveyed his surroundings. To be honest, even outside of this dream, the Radiant Garden had reclaimed a lot of it's former peace and stability. After the downfall of the Organization, Heartless and Nobody sightings in the city dropped substantially, and, thanks to the efforts of the former Hollow Bastion Restoration Committee (now rechristened the Gardenian Committee for Defense and Sustainability) the actual physical city was being restored, almost equal in splendor to what it was thirteen years ago, before Xehanort's catastrophic experiments and Maleficent's invasion.

So, to say that Sora didn't know where to begin to look, or even what to look for, was an understatement.

"Whaddya mean you can't deliver the parts!?"

Sora's attention was diverted to another man in the plaza, who was currently ranting on his cellphone, loudly. Very loudly. To the point that everyone in the vicinity was either staring at him like he was some sort of weirdo, or giving him a wide berth like he was some sort of weirdo.

"You're really screwin' me over on this, Stiltzkin, you damned furball!"

As it happened, Sora knew this particular weirdo very well. In fact, he was one of the first people he encountered after being swept off the Islands all those years ago. He was an older man, with short blond hair, and a craggy, windburned face. Dressed in a bomber jacket and cargo pants, he gave the air that he was some sort of pilot, which was partly true.

It was none other than the master engineer of ships – of both the Gummi and Air- varietal – Cid Highwind.

"Yeah, yeah, apologize all ya want – it don't make no difference." Cid grumbled to whoever was on the other end of the line. "Pleasure doin' business with ya!" The older man spat, as he hung up, before sighing to himself, his volume finally receding. "Man, I knew I shoulda got a job with the government again, instead of going into private industry. Pain in my ass..."

"Business troubles, Cid?" Sora asked with a joking grin, finally approaching his friend now that his vent was done.

"Oh, hey kid." The engineer acknowledged, fiddling with something in his pockets. "Didn't know you were in town. Wha'cha here for?"

"Uh..it's complicated." Even if he wasn't fully aware of it, a part of Sora knew that this was not the real Cid. He was just part of this Constructed World, a constructed copy or a simulation of the real Cid. Everyone in the city right now wasn't wholly real, and Sora had no way of knowing how these people would react to the truth of the dream Sora was in. Best case scenario, they all thought he was crazy. Worst case, they went berserk or exploded, like how robots acted in movies when presented with a logical fallacy.

_Man, why does this dream world stuff have to be so confusing? The exam isn't even an hour long yet..._

A mechanical click and the hissing sound of ignition brought Sora back out of his head, to see that Cid was taking a long drag off a cigarette.

"Hey! I thought you quit smoking." Sora pointed out, perhaps a bit too harshly. Cid only rolled eyes.

"Oh, great, now you're gonna get on my case about it, too? I'm havin' a bit of a hard time here."

"Sorry, sorry. I didn't mean it like that." Cid grumbled in response, cigarette clenched tightly in his teeth, as Sora continued, "I guess I should ask what's got you all worked up?"

"Ah, it's work," Cid took another drag, taking care to blow the smoke away from anyone else. In the intervening years, Cid had opened up a little workshop, operating in buying and selling and repairing Gummi Blocks and airship parts, as well as drafting custom blueprints. "There's some parts I need to fill an order, but the only damn shop in the whole city that has them is Stiltzkin's, that tight-fisted winged bastard!" Cid punctuated his declaration with a string of colourful curses and swears, stuff only the saltiest of sailors and pilots would dare utter. Sora was all for introducing his family with the people he had met on all of his journeys, but there was a big reason why he hadn't introduced his mom to Cid Highwind, yet...

"Anyway... normally, this wouldn't be a problem. But I gotta a client coming by in an hour. Some bigwig from Celvista, looking to make his own custom airship, so we're gonna start working on blueprints. And there's no guarantee that those parts will be there tomorrow. Now that he knows that I want them, that furry dick will try 'n offload them just to spite me!" Another sigh, another deep inhalation on his cig. "Guess I gotta get 'em from outta town, and put a delay on the order..."

"Well, why don't I grab them for you?" Sora offered. "I'm not really doing anything right now, and I'd be happy to help, Cid."

In truth, Sora knew he had better things to do, but he had no clear cut path to finding this source of corruption. And, Yen Sid did not express any sort of time limit on this exam (that certainly seemed like information he would offer, if it were relevant), so he saw no harm in helping his friends until his goal became more apparent.

"Ya sure, kid? I don't mean to bother ya or anything."

Sora shook his head. "Nah, it's no worries Cid. Just give me directions, what you need, and I'll be back before you know it!"

The mechanic perked up, breaking out into a big grin. "Ah, you're a godsend, kid!" He gave him a hearty slap on the back, almost bowling over the unsuspecting teenager. Cid then began fishing in his pockets once more. "The address is 852 Palamacia Avenue, in the city's southern corridor. It's right across the street from a big weapon smithery – ya can't miss it." A list of parts was placed it Sora's hands. There was more than few, and some seemed rather involved and potentially heavy sounding. Maybe this wasn't going to be as easy a errand as he initially thought. "Come to the shop when you're done and I'll reimburse you in total."

"I'll do my best," Sora said, his eyes running over the list before him. Even with all his experience flying Gummi Ships, this stuff went over his head. Cid offered a casual two fingered salute, before breaking away from the teen and out of the plaza.

"Thanks again, Sora. I owe ya one!" The older man cried, as he hurried (presumably) back to his shop.

Tucking the list away in his pocket, Sora scanned the area to get his bearings. He wasn't entirely familiar with the rebuilt Garden city, but was sure he could handle this. All he needed to do was head south. Super easy.

"Alright, let's get at this."

After all, in the end, Sora would always go the extra distance to help a friend, no matter the burden or inconvenience he placed on himself.

**-D/D/D-**

It took Sora nearly two hours to find Stiltzkin's shop.

_Yeah. Can't miss it, my ass, Cid._

Even though the lengthy and circuitous stroll gave him time to better acquaint himself with the people and sights of the Radiant Garden's capital, informally referred to as Garden City or Castleton Town, he was trying to get things done in a timely manner. Didn't help that the directions were fairly vague, and it was a big city – way bigger than Salm back on the Islands or Twilight Town. And it was expanding by the week!

Eventually though, he did find the junk shop ran by the moogle, only to encounter a new problem. A problem he had feared. All the parts were made of so-and-so metallic alloys and carbon composite whatever, Sora really didn't understand. But, what he did gather, very quickly, was all the parts were fairly heavy, and ranged in size from roughly equal to his foot, to almost as big as his torso. Sora spent another twenty-minutes trying to figure out how exactly he was going to manage to get these back to Cid's, and if it were at all possible to do it in one straight trip.

An elegant solution presented itself when Stilzkin gave him a length of rope. That, tied to the end of the Kingdom Key, plus liberal use of the Zero Gravity spell. This strategy presented it's own set of problems, but it was enough for Sora to wrangle the various pieces of junk across the city back to Cid, even if it did a number on his mana and stamina.

Not too long after dropping off Cid's delivery, Sora ran across another friend, Aerith Gainsborough, who had another job for him. Like Cid, Aerith had transferred away from the Garden Committee into private industry, opening up a quaint little flower shop to practice and show-off her horticultural skills. Turns out, she had been using the fruits and tendril vines of malboros as a secret ingredient in her fertilizer, as well as an element in some homemade potions she did on the side. Sora wasn't super familiar with the flora and fauna of Radiant Garden, but he knew what malboros were. All teeth and eyes and lashing tendrils, gigantic, and capable of spewing poisonous, virulent gas everywhere. Not a fun time, so he was little hesitant when she presented her with a specific job.

The latest batch of malboro pods – supposedly their most basic and benign form – had come in a little late, and they had already begun to grow and germinate into sproutlings. And now she needed someone to do a little "aggressive pruning", as Aerith put it. Now, while malboro sproutlings weren't very large, and they couldn't unleash jets of toxic miasma, they were still surprisingly territorial, and took a lot of punishment to put down. Plus, they were still covered in razor sharp teeth and thorns. Who knew a plant could put up such a fight?

With that task complete, Sora, now covered in a cadre of fresh scrapes, nicks, and cuts, made his way back into the city, back on his search for this "corruption". Once more (all things come in threes...) Sora came across another old friend. Cloud Strife, much like Cid and Aerith, had also started his own business once the stability of the Garden was ensured. In this case, it was a small courier company, handling package delivery both within the city limits and beyond.

Today, Cloud was preparing for a major delivery that would take him south, to the city of Rionev. Normally, this wouldn't be an issue for him, and his (in Sora's opinion) absurdly cool motorcycle, the Fenrir, but he had some prior commitments within the city to clear first, deliveries that would most likely put him behind schedule, having to leave for Rionev tomorrow morning, forced to make up time on the road. Sora – who earlier in the day had said he would go to any distance to help out a friend – stepped in to serve as a solution once more, running whatever packages had to go out all over the city, to make sure Cloud could depart for Rionev before sundown.

And sure, he had already been all over Castelton Town earlier in the day on one wild goose chase, and his feet and legs were still hurting from that. And, yeah, he was dirty and injured, and his the cuts on his face stung like crazy every time a stiff breeze whipped up around him, but... that stuff just didn't matter to Sora in the long run. He wanted to pitch in. He wanted to lend a helping hand. He wanted to be useful to the people he cared about in any manner possible.

Even if it were just mundane tasks like collecting machine parts or squashing little baby plant monsters or mailing out parcels.

_Okay, so maybe the malboros aren't quiet "mundane"._ Sora reflected. _But the greater point stands!_

With the sun a third the way down the horizon, Sora finally returned to the small warehouse Cloud had been using as a base of operations for his fledgling business, sore and exhausted, but deeply satisfied within, for doing a job (or three) well done.

But, when he returned, Sora not only found Cloud, working on his motorbike to ensure it was up to snuff for the trip, but one Tifa Lockhart, the raven-haired woman conversing quite intensely with the the stern swordsman. Sora approached, slowly, trying to mask his presence, not necessarily trying to eavesdrop, but also paying attention the them with focused intent. He always got the feeling around Cloud and Tifa that they almost felt like a couple, the two of them were on the cusp of a relationship. Or, they already were, and were just really good at hiding it. Either way, Sora hoped the reality was true. He wasn't big into "shipping" people, as Riku would critically say, but the two made each other happy, and at the end of the day, all Sora wanted was for his friends to be happy.

Even if he had crushes on both parties involved.

After a time trying the stealth approach, and not getting anywhere or anything out of it, Sora announced himself to the two by clearing his throat. Tifa half-jumped in start, but Cloud showed no reaction.

"Back already, huh. Everything go okay?"

"Yep!" Sora declared cheerfully. "Smooth sailings over calm waters." Cloud nodded in approval, but Sora saw that Tifa was looking him and up and down with an appraising eye. "What? Something on my face?"

"Sora, look at you." The raven-haired brawler said, motioning all over the boy's body. "You're a mess. What have you been doing all day?"

Yeah, he was exhausted and dirty and a little banged up, but "mess" was going a little too far, wasn't it? "Ah, just running around town, taking care of some errands for Cid and Cloud. Oh, and squashing some malboros for Aerith. Guess they gave me _some_ trouble..."

Tifa shook her head and clicked her tongue. "She's taking advantage of you. She would have no problem handling a couple of weeds by herself. Right?" Tifa craned her head over her shoulder, asking her kinda-sorta-maybe boyfriend for confirmation.

"Yeah, Aerith is really good at getting people to do what she wants." Came Cloud, who had gone back to working on his bike, securing a large crate to the back section.

"C'mon Tifa, it's okay." Sora gave a dismissive wave, mixed with a casual smile. "I volunteered for all of it. No one forced me to do anything."

The woman looked at him for a beat, considering his words and body language, before sighing. "If you say so, Sora." Changing gears, Tifa said, "Listen, would you mind giving me Cloud a minute or two? Alone?"

Sora did as he was bid, excusing himself and waiting outside the garage. With a mischievous look plastered on his face, the Key Bearer had his mind fixated solely on the two within the building, and what they could possibly be doing.

_They have to a couple, right? Gotta be, definitely. They just must be like Riku. He always goes on and on about how much he hates P.D.A. They're just private people, or shy. But they're certainly together. Cloud and Tifa. They're probably sharing 'I love yous' and sweet nothings 'cause he's about to go on a long trip. Maybe they're kissing. Maybe they're more than kissing. Maybe Tifa is giving him a quick..._

_Don't be a pervert, Sora._

His reverie was broken by the sound of a revving engine, as the Fenrir peeled out of the garage, Cloud giving Sora a casual goodbye as he departed. Tifa herself strolled out a little while later, a warm and content aura surrounding her.

Sora approached her. _Time to go in for the kill..._

"Hey Tif'," he began, politely enough and without obvious intent, "you and Cloud seem awful close. I gotta ask, are you guys a-"

"Sora!" Tifa cut him off with a clap of her hands. She looked a tiny bit put-out and flustered, Sora observed, but he didn't press the issue. "You're in town for a bit I take it? What are you doing for lodgings?"

"Eh, I dunno," the brunet said with a shrug. Considering the whole "constructed world" thing, he hadn't really considered if he would need a place to sleep. Or even sleep for that matter. How does one sleep when they already are asleep? "Guess I'll just go and grab a hotel room."

"No, no, no. That won't do." Tifa dismissed with a concerned look. "You're staying at my place tonight. And I won't take 'no' for an answer. Especially considering the day you've had, you look like you could use a chance to clean up and have a nice, home-cooked meal."

Sora beamed at her proposal. There was no chance he would turn this down.

"I mean, if you're offering, who am I to say no, right?"

**-D/D/D-**

Sora had learned a lot about himself on his travels.

One of the most apparent things he learned was that, after meeting all manner of attractive and wonderful people, he was the kind of person to crush fast and crush hard.

Now, obviously, he loved Kairi with all of his heart, and wanted their relationship to go as far as it possibly could. Whatever she wanted and was happy with, he wanted, too. And Riku. He couldn't forget Riku, either. His romantic love for Riku was probably equivalent to that of Kairi, even if Riku couldn't reciprocate it. Aqua, too, but Sora was willing to let that be Kairi's unrequited crush. If he could actually remember what happened in Castle Oblivion, he would probably have stronger feelings for Namine. Roxas, too, if Sora could ever figure out what exactly their relation was and whether being attracted to him was gross or not.

And of course there was most of the warriors of the Radiant Garden – Leon and Cloud and Aerith. All three of the Gullwings were pretty special in their own way, too (though Kairi would probably flip out if she ever heard him say overtly complementary things about Rikku...). And yeah, there was Aladdin, and Jasmine; Hercules; Belle and The Beast/Prince Adam; Mulan and Captain Shang; Ariel; Kairi's friends, Anna and Elsa, as well; the Nobody Demyx wasn't bad looking, Sora just didn't go in for villains...

The point was, Sora had found himself deeply attracted to a lot of different people throughout his adventures. But Tifa Lockhart was special, almost equal to Kairi and Riku, he felt.

He couldn't quite put his finger on it as to why. Obviously, she was stunningly beautiful, and that helped propel the initial attraction, but there was more than that. She was strong, both in body and spirit, but could be kind and gentle. She was sweet and generous to those she loved, but fiercely protective of them, as well.

Tifa Lockhart was...well, she was Tifa. That's really all Sora needed to know.

So, when offered dinner and a place to stay by such an amazing woman, Sora would be a fool to say "no".

While she was cooking, Sora used the opportunity to clean-up and shower, while also using a little bit of Cure magic to wipe away the remainder of his minor wounds.

Dinner for the evening was a pork roast basted with a mustard-based glaze, potato mash seasoned with garlic and rosemary, and a salad with mixed spring greens.

Everything was delicious, and Sora ate with relish. Both portions.

Over the meal, Sora and Tifa happily chatted with one another, Sora giving her a brief rundown of what he was doing on the Garden, regarding his Mark of Mastery exam, though he conveniently left out the part about how he was asleep, and everything around him (Tifa included) was just a simulation made by his heart. Tifa, in turn, caught him up on the goings on around the Garden, how everyone was doing, what lay upon the horizon... and how she was adjusting to life with Riku living in the neighbourhood.

"...so, I'm more than ticked off at him right now, so I actually throw a punch without really thinking," Tifa explained, as the pair were washing their dishes. She was in the middle of regaling Sora of a time Riku pushed her buttons one-time too many, and the consequences suffered for that. Suffered by both him and her. "And, you know, sometimes I don't quite know my own strength, so he ends up flying across the room, smashes into a wall, and he's knocked out for an hour or two!" Sora stifled a bit of laughter. The fact that Riku got effortlessly batted aside by Tifa was just too funny. He hoped this had happened in real life, and wasn't a scenario the dream and created. "When he does get up, first thing he does it march up to me, glare, and then challenge me to a fight. And now, every time we run in to each other after that, all he does is challenges me to fights, like some barbaric neanderthal. I mean, he's not making any insulting comments anymore, but jeez... what is wrong with him?"

"As his best friend, a lot. I can say there's a lot wrong with him."

Tifa chuckled, covering her mouth. "I mean, is this like an interplay of violence and attraction thing? Is he attracted to me now?" A sour and dark look overtook her face. "Please tell me he isn't attracted to me..."

"No, no." Sora shook his head, once more, trying his hardest to hold back his laughter. "I think Kairi finally figured out what Riku is after, and you're not it." The woman sighed with gracious relief.

"Thank goodness. I know he's your friend and all, but I just cannot stand Riku sometime. Most of the time."

The two quickly finished up their task, continuing to talk as they worked. Exam or no exam, Constructed World or not, Sora was enjoying the evening. Hell, the entire day. It had been quite sometime since he had caught up with the crew from the Radiant Garden. And to get to spend some quality time with Tifa, well, that was just the cherry on top.

With things cleaned up and put away, Tifa turned to face Sora and said, "Alright, I hate to be a bad host and flake on my guest, but I have an early start tomorrow, so I should head to bed. I'll make up the pull-out couch for you, and you can do whatever to keep yourself entertained, just try and keep it down, please."

Sora gave her a curious look. "What's going on tomorrow?"

"Oh, just something Leon asked me to help with." She explained. "Apparently there are some Heartless sightings out in the canyons, and they keep getting closer and closer to the city, so he needs a hand in driving them out, and I volunteered."

"Ooh, I can help! Can I help?"

Tifa paused for a moment, seemingly trying to properly order her thoughts and words, as if they were of critical importance

"I don't know Sora, you have a lot on your plate as is. Shouldn't you earnestly begin trying to pass this Mark of Mastery thing?"

"Yeah, yeah, I guess. But trust me, that stuff will find me when the time comes." The Key Bearer quickly dismissed. "I can take some time out to help you guys. No sweat." He ended his speech with an easygoing, carefree smile, trying to convince Tifa that it would all work out in the end.

The older woman didn't seem to moved by the gesture. "Regardless of that, you already did so much today helping Cid and Aerith and Cloud. You're probably exhausted. I wouldn't want to pile even more duties on top."

"But I'm the Keyblade Master!" It was odd using such a title, considering he was now attempting to earn it, but that was the epitaph that had been bestowed on him all those years ago, so Sora would keep using it for, incorrect or not. "Doesn't matter what the challenge is, I can deal with it."

"You're _a_ Keyblade Master, Sora." Tifa corrected, gently. "Kairi and Riku are available, too. And we're all capable, as well. We don't always need your assistance in everything."

Sora began to sense that there was more to Tifa's pleas than she was letting on. "Is something the matter, Tifa?" Sighing, Tifa brushed back a few locks of her hair.

"It's just..." Once more, the raven-haired brawler paused. Now that he was paying attention, Sora could read the concern drawn on her face. "You've done so much for us over the years, and you keep doing things for the Garden even now. Whenever there's danger or trouble or even a minor inconvenience, you're always the first to come to everyone's rescue, without a thought to what happens to you." Tifa looked down at Sora, a protective look. Almost sisterly, or motherly. Though, considering the woman in question, it was more in line with the gaze of a mother bear. "I feel bad, like we're taking advantage of you. The rest of us can pull our weight, you don't have to go the extra mile for me and Cloud and the others, every single time. And I worry that one day you'll try and do too much, too fast, all at once, and you'll hurt yourself. You'll break.

"I know you're a Keyblade Master, and you've done all these incredible things, but you're not invincible. You still have limits, Sora."

Sora was at a loss for words. Not once had he thought that his friends would see him as overburdening himself. As overdoing things. All he was doing was what came natural to him, helping others in need. Helping his friends. It was something he had been doing for years, even back home, and it never felt like others were taking advantage of him. Or that he was hurting himself, or breaking himself down. Sora was only doing what he always did.

In all honesty, he felt kind of hurt by Tifa's admission. Hurt that she saw him in that light.

"I understand what you mean, Tif'..." Sora said, slowly, choosing his words very carefully. He didn't want to betray how he really felt and get into a confrontation with her. "But, I mean, it's just a couple of Heartless, right? Plus, you and Leon will be there. How could I possibly overwork myself?" Once more, Sora flashed his carefree grin.

This time, it seemed to work.

Tifa sighed in defeat. "Okay, fine, you wore me down, Sora." She smiled, but it was very slight and tinged with melancholy. "You can come help. But, please, just let Leon and I take the lead. And, if it gets too much and I ask you to go back, you have to listen to me, okay?"

"Mhm!" Sora smiled brightly once more. "Whatever you say, Tifa. You guys can count on me tomorrow!"

With that business taken care of, Tifa helped Sora convert her couch into a bed, grabbing enough pillows and sheets to ensure the boy would be comfortable. The two bid one another a goodnight, before turning in, silence and darkness being ushered into the house, as both Sora and Tifa sought some much-needed rest, for the day to come.

Sora still wasn't entirely sure how sleeping within a dream would work. Like, he was sleeping back in Yen Sid's tower, so... then again, this wasn't his real physical body was it? He wasn't in the real world, so it would stand to reason that his body wasn't real at the moment, either.

_I really need to stop thinking about this stuff. It's way too confusing for me..._

Regardless of the metaphysical aspects of his current state of being, sleep still came to Sora, brought to him all the easier by the long, exhausting day of errands he had before him. Before long, the Key Bearer drifted away into a restful slumber, ready for his next mission and adventure.

After all, in the end, Sora would always go the extra distance to help a friend, no matter the burden or inconvenience he placed on himself.

* * *

**Character File #01**

**Sora Kido**** (Kingdom Hearts; 2002 video game)**  
**Home World:** Destiny Islands (Salm Township, Saka-Ama Island)  
**Date of Birth:** July 20 1257 U.E. (Island Reckoning)/529 Age of Phoenix (Garden Reckoning)  
**Age/Zodiac Sign:** 17 (Cancer)  
**Height:** 5'8"/1.72 M  
**Weight:** 168 lbs/76 kg

**Occupation:** Student/Adventurer  
**Family:** Yakumo Kido (father), Sayaka Kido (mother), Ame Kido (older sister), Fuuka Kido (younger sister)  
**Hobbies & Interests:** Cooking, Music (sings and plays guitar), Sports (football and soccer), Superheroes, Tokusatsu and Comic Books, Video Games  
**  
Favourite Foods:  
**-Spicy foods  
-Citrus fruits  
-All kinds of sweets and deserts

**Least Favourite Foods:**  
-Duck  
-Cucumbers  
-Drinks that are too bitter or sour

* * *

_And so Sora begins his long road towards his Mark of Mastery, but, like any good hero, he ends up getting distracted by the sidequests._

_So the first couple chapters here (and basically any of the "wake up" chapters) are going to be fairly basic set-up chapters. Our heroes will wake up in their new world and get the lay of the land, before getting a heading on their mission. And, hey, Sora woke up in an all too familiar place. How odd. Wonder if the same will happen to Riku and Kairi..._

_I always imagined Sora as being a big flirt, and also the kind of guy that crushes on people easily. And a lot of people, evident by the list. (Of course, I'm not the only one who thinks Sora is a flirt, judging by the reactions to him and Rapunzel)_

_Also, I'm an unapologetic Tifa Lockhart stand. Like, full stop. When I first played **Final Fantasy VII** when I was eight, I had the biggest crush on her. And I still admire the character. You know, she's strong of body, of will, of heart, kind and trusting and sweet, but she can also perform a spinning Ganso-style Powerbomb on something five times her size. You know, basically the perfect woman._

_But, yes, a very straightforward chapter, but what are your thoughts? On Sora's quest at hand, and his constant need to help others. What his "corruption" might be. His list of crushes and how you would rank them. And just what are Riku and Kairi getting up to and when will we see them? Please feel free to drop a comment or review, it always means the world to me when I hear from my readers._

_Until next time, keep moving forward on your own journey, dear traveler._


	4. Rude Awakenings, Part 2

**DDD  
The Dreamers, The Destroyer, and The Departed  
****Chapter Five  
****Rude Awakenings, Part 2**

Kairi woke up.

Though, not wholly by her own volition.

Someone was shaking her body and speaking to her.

"Excuse you me, miss, but you need to wake up."

Kairi rubbed her eyes, vision still blurry. "Mmm... what is it?"

"We've reached the end of the line. I'm afraid you'll need to depart the train."

"Oh, I'm sorry..." She said, bashfully. Her eyesight focused, and she could see she was speaking with a kindly older gentleman dressed in a spiffy uniform.

The gentleman smiled at her. "It's quite all right." He then motioned to a set of double doors, the exit of the train, no doubt. "Now, please, watch your step as you exit the car. And enjoy the rest of your day."

Collecting herself, Kairi bowed in thanks, and hurried to the automatic doors to exit the cab.

As she hurried, she quickly became cognizant of where she was. Her surrounds were all too familiar. The busy, bustling, expansive train station. Sleepy homes built across rolling hills. Everything dyed in the soft, rich orange of the setting sun.

Kairi had found herself in Twilight Town.

_Of all the worlds my heart could construct._ She thought glumly, as she exited the station proper into the large terrace which surrounded it. Immediately, she felt guilty for having such a thought.

It wasn't that Kairi hated Twilight Town, far from it. She loved it's scenic locals, the gentle, easygoing pace of life here, the friendliness of it's citizens. She had made many happy memories with her friends, old and new, here.

But, despite all that, this was one of her least favourite worlds to visit.

Despite the many happy memories she had made here, there was one dreadful event in her life that overshadowed all of it.

This was where Axel had kidnapped here, and, not too long after, Saix had stolen her away. Two kidnappings in short order, ending with her being handed over to custody of the Organization.

_And that's where it all started._ Kairi had stood aside the entrance way to the station, idling near a bench and some public bulletin boards, her stomach roiling from reminiscing about those days. A common sensation whenever she visited.

The Organization had thrown her in a cell, locked away from everything, making it very clear she was here because of her connection to Sora. Because they only saw her as a way to exploit and hurt him. _That's all I was. Leverage. Motivation. I hated it..._ Then, Sora gave himself over in exchange for her safety. _Oh, Sora, you stupid, noble, selfless, reckless dope._ She had come so far since that point in time, but no matter what, she could remember everything about the day she was kidnapped. Every sensation, every emotion, every word spoken about her. Not to her, about her. _Was I even a person back then? Or something more akin to a plot device?_ The fear, the despair, the humiliation, the shame... it was almost too much to bare, even now.

_What am I doing?_

Kairi didn't have time for this. She knew she didn't have time to wallow in the past, in her own shortcomings and insecurities. She had a mission, a job, a test. Sora, and Riku, and King Mickey, and Master Yen Sid, and Master Aqua all had faith in her. She needed to have faith in herself, too!

Pushing aside her feelings, Kairi stood up at full height, a determined glare cast upon her face. _I can deal with all of that inside of me later._ Kairi told herself. _The Mark of Mastery come first. I need to find this 'Corruption'._

Now outside of the labyrinth of her mind, something caught the corner of her eye. The redhead turned to face one of the bulletin boards beside her, and was floored by she saw.

"What in the world..."

One of the boards was dominated by posters. Quickly counting them, Kairi saw there were eight – no – nine of them! Nine posters depicting girls, varying between ages thirteen and eighteen, all marked with the bold-face declaration of **"MISSING PERSON"** as well as some other tidbits of information. Physical description, habits and places of interest, date and time they were last scene, contact information if you had any tips. This, alone, would be alarming enough, but the thing that had caught her eye in the first place – two of the nine posters – struck a chord close to her heart.

Two of the missing peoples were Olette and Fuujin, acquaintances of hers from her various visits to Town.

Kairi quickly soaked up the information present on the posters, focusing first on her two friends. If – and this was a big if – she was still on the same day as when she fell asleep in the Tower, then Olette had been gone for a week. Fuujin for nine days. The first case was from twelve days ago, the most recent, four. Kairi wasn't sure if this was the Corruption she was to solve or not, but the nine girls had tapped in to her desire to help the helpless, spurning her to action.

The Key Bearer had no idea where to look, where to go, who to ask, or what to look for, only that people were in trouble and that she could help. Running at a full sprint, she rushed through Town with single-minded purpose. She had to rescue them, all nine of them, she had to because she knew what they were going through. How helpless and terrified they were. How useless and guilty they would feel in the aftermath. Kairi knew better than most the psychological wages inflicted on a person after being a hostage.

That is, of course, if they were only kidnapped...

_No, no, no! I can't think like that! I have a chance to save them, I know I do!_

Kairi turned a corner, sharply, crashing into someone. Or, rather, someones, her speed causing all parties to bowl over.

"Hey, watch it, jerk!" A loud and course voice hollered.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry." She apologize, eyes shut, hands held together. Kairi knew she got like this sometimes. Obsessed and devoted. Rushing headlong without much thought. Knowing others were suffering just drove her to extremes. "I wasn't looking where I was going, and -" she opened her eyes. "Wait, Pence? Hayner?"

The two boys who had first found her when she arrived on Twilight Town – along with Olette (the realization stung) – were indeed the two she had quite literally crashed into. Quickly, she scrabbled to her feet and helped them get upright.

"What are you even doing in Twilight Town, Kairi?" Pence asked, dusting himself off.

"It's a long story, guys..." As pleasant as it would be to catch up with the two, Kairi felt as if she had more pressing matter at hand. "Hey, listen. I saw all the posters back at the train station. Whatever I came here for, I can help. I want to help!" Despite her affirmations, the faces of the teens fell when she mentioned the missing persons. "I know it must hurt, but any information you have will be a big help."

"I mean, not much we can say," Hayner grumbled under his breath. "All we know is Olette stayed late for her academic bowl practice at school. That finished up, her teammates said she left for home, but she never arrived. No one has seen her since..." His hand balled up into an angry fist.

"Hey, there's still hope." Came Pence, trying to comfort his friend. "We're doing all we can to find them. The police are staging nightly searches. Tonight, my whole neighbourhood is going out. You'll see, something will turn -"

"It's not good enough!" Hayner raged, causing Kairi and Pence to jump in start. "Already, they've searched everywhere – we've searched everywhere! The forest, the hills, every corner of town, the underground passages – nothing! I don't... I think they might be..."

"They're not dead, Hayner. I'm sure of it." Kairi said, in an even and comforting tone. She still couldn't place her finger on it, but her intuition was flaring up. Her Light, as well. Something about this seemed all too sudden and convenient. Kairi had entered a Constructed World, based on the world where she was kidnapped. And, now, many young woman were being spirited away by something that no one could find.

Now that she could think and feel, instead of just rush, Kairi was certain this the Corruption she had come to root out.

"Guys, I don't know how to explain this, but I'm certain there's more behind this than mundane kidnappings. There is something supernatural at work here. The Heartless or the Nobodies."

This, however, only alarmed the boys even more.

"But that means they're in even more danger!" Hayner yelled.

Kairi held her hands out for calm and patience. "No, no, again, it's hard to explain, but it's a little different this time." Holding a finger up to her chin, she tried to figure a way to word this that would make sense.

Nothing came to mind, but, fortunately, Pence jumped in.

"Keyblade stuff, right?" She nodded. "We get it then. We know better than to ask about stuff that just goes over our heads."

"But you can save them, right? You can save Olette?" The desperation in Hayner's eyes was all too apparent.

"I will do my absolute best, Hayner." Kairi promised. "You both have my word." Very minor smiles appeared on the faces of the two Towners. "I just need a place to start. Is there anywhere suspicious that hasn't been searched yet?"

"I mean, the underground tunnels go on for miles and miles." Pence said. "There's no way all of them have been checked."

"And what other place would a slimy Heartless lurk than a dank, dark, wet, gross emergency access tunnel?" Hayner added. Though, Kairi could have done without the colouful description of the underground.

"Well, it's as good a place to start as any." It felt good to actually have a heading, rather than blindly charging ahead like she was prone to do. "Now, you two just stay put and let me get to work." The last thing she needed was them to tag along, pleasant company as they were. It was just that this business was personal. Moreso than most of her adventures.

The two agreed, reluctantly on Hayner's part. "Just... you be safe, too, Kairi. Wouldn't want you getting mixed up in all this mess, too..."

The redhead flashed a brilliant smile. "A lot has changed in the past two years, Hayner. Even without Sora or the Gullwings here, I can take care of myself!"

With that, she departed from her friends, running through town again, but this time, in a more controlled pace and form, searching for an entrance to the underground.

A lot had changed over two years.

She had a boyfriend. A better relationship with some of her friends. New friends whom she cherished deeply. She had experienced all the sights and sounds the Realm had to offer. Seen and done so much, met so many wonderful people.

A lot had changed over two years.

_So why am I still afraid? Why do I still feel so ashamed?_

_I've come so far, and yet, just being here, I can be reduced to this._

She found an entrance over in a quiet corner of Market Street. A gate barred her way, along with some notice from the city government about how it was dangerous and for authorized personnel only. Like any good adventurer, she ignored it, summoning Oathkeeper and tapping it against the gate, magically forcing the lock open.

_Right now, I guess it doesn't matter._ She told herself, summoning an orb of light in her left hand. _I can find the answer later. Right now, there are people counting on me, and I have something very important to accomplish._

She took a step down the grated metal steps, into the darkness awaiting her.

"Olette, Fuujin, hold on for just a little while longer. You're hero is on it's way!"

* * *

**Character File #02**

**Kairi Shiratori/Ralleone**** (Kingdom Hearts; 2002 video game)  
Home World:** Radiant Garden (Castleton Town, Radiant Garden Kingdom)  
**Date of Birth:** May 22 1257 U.E. (Island Reckoning)/529 Age of Phoenix (Garden Reckoning)  
**Age/Zodiac Sign:** 17 (Gemini)  
**Height:** 5'7"/1.7 M

**Weight:** 152 lbs/69 kg

**Occupation:** Student/Adventurer  
**Family:** Mihara Shiratori (adopted mother), Kyros Ralleone (birth father; deceased), Amelie Ralleone (birth mother; deceased), Nautus Ralleone (older brother; deceased), Mayren Ralleone (older sister; deceased)  
**Hobbies & Interests:** Dance, Music, Theatre, Sports (likes volleyball and baseball), Shojo Manga, Political Science

**Favourite Foods:**  
-Fresh seafood  
-Pasta  
-Citrus-flavoured teas  
-Tiramisu and red velvet cake

**Least Favourite Foods:**  
-Mushrooms  
-Coffee  
-Overly spicy foods

* * *

_And so Kairi begins her test, waking to the first world, a place where she most confront her own fear and shame._

_-Beyond the mystery aspect of this story – the thing I've always wanted to do with a KH story – I think coming up with this idea was one of the things that spurned the creation of this specific story. Of Kairi having misgivings about Twilight Town and having to go back to confront herself, as well as a manifestation of her fears. _

_-There's... a lot of untapped potential with Kairi (putting it diplomatically) and I think it's an interesting idea to explore, both in the proper canon and within the context of the Saga of Light. I think Sora's the only one who would have good memories of all the worlds he's been to, while Kairi has to deal with this trauma, and Riku would have some past sins to reckon with (especially places like Agrabah and Beast's Castle)._

_-Going off topic, I do wish KH would take some more time to explore how it's original character (well, it's protagonists, I don't give two damns about it's villains) feel, regarding the adventures they've been on. What they've done and what's been done to them. I understand there are contractual obligations regarding the Disney worlds, but then just do it on the original worlds like Twilight Town and Radiant Garden! I just feel, as the games have gotten bigger in the scope of the plot, the characters are starting to feel smaller, especially in how they are used..._

_But, beyond that, not a whole lot more to say. Fairly short chapter this time around, more set up, but it serves it's purpose. Next, Kairi must face her fears (HA – I made a funny!) but what do you think will happen when she confronts this Corruption? Please feel free to leave a review or comment, at your leisure, and I hope you're enjoying the ride._

_Until next time, keep moving forward on your own journey, dear traveler._


	5. Rude Awakenings, Part 3

**DDD  
The Dreamers, The Destroyer, and The Departed  
****Chapter Five  
****Rude Awakenings, Part 3**

Riku woke up.

His body stirred from slumber, roused by a round of snickers and whispers, and one voice rising above the chorus, one voice pointedly scolding him.

"Riku. Riku! Riku Akiyama!"

Riku forced himself to rise, sensing that he was in a sitting position. When his eyes opened, he found that, yes, he was sitting down... in a desk? In a classroom?

_What in the world...?_ He thought, groggily.

Alertness fully returned to his being, as he leaped to his feet in shock, trying to process what was going on.

He recognized the class he was in, more a vague recognition than specific. Somehow, he was back in his old high school, all the stupid classrooms look uniformly similar, to a point. This was strange, considering, he had dropped-out of school at the beginning of his senior year. Hell, even if he graduated, he wouldn't be attending this year - he was eighteen, turning nineteen in a month's time! Yet, here he was, in an old public school room, surrounded by a handful of people he knew, people who were apart of his classes from kindergarten on. Wakka, obviously, who seemed to be taking the most enjoyment from the predicament. Irvine Kinneas, that stupid stetson he always wore currently resting on his lap, an amused smile on his face. Faris Tycoon, the purple-haired tomboy looking at him as if he were currently the biggest idiot on the Islands. A dozen others he didn't care to learn the names or faces of.

"Honestly Riku," Riku looked up at the source of the exasperated voice, the one that was scolding him earlier. It was the teacher. "It's bad enough you barely attend classes, must you disrupt my lessons on the rare days you do?" She sighed. Riku couldn't place a name for her either. She taught history. He was pretty sure that was her subject. "Now, will you please sit down and pay attention? Or do I have to send you to the principal's office like you're a little kid?"

Basically everyone present chortled at the comment, especially after catching a glimpse at Riku's peevish expression.

"I just -" He caught himself. He was about to ramble about being surprised about going to sleep in a wizard's tower and then waking up in a class he wasn't suppose to be in. Slowly, the information about where he was, what state he was in, and why he was here returned to his conscious mind. "Never mind." Riku grumbled, before sinking back into his seat.

The lesson continued from them on, seemingly stretching for an eternity for Riku. He was very quickly reminded why exactly he dropped-out of school in the first place. Riku barely paid attention to whatever or whoever it was the instructor was talking about, his mind wholly focused on his mission. Even if he had no real desire to obtain the title of Master, he would never half-ass it when given a challenge. When given an opportunity for further power.

Finally, after the longest hour and twenty-minutes of his life, the boredom and doldrum came to a merciful end. The second the bell rang, Riku bolted for the door, first one out. He hadn't even collected his books or supplies. Why bother?

"Well, that was an impressive performance in there, Riku." Faris commented, trailing him from behind. Long strides matching his. "I see after all these years, Sora has finally begun rubbing off on you."

"Shove it, Faris!" Riku snapped. He shoved his way through the throngs of teenagers that packed the halls, heading to his locker. He wasn't even sure why he was heading there. Instinct? Routine? If this was a hammered in routine, then there was an element missing. Someone who always found his way to his way to Riku in the halls between classes. "Hey, tell me, have you seen Sora anywhere?"

"What are you talking about?" Asked Faris. Riku had arrived at his locker, loitering, while Faris made it to hers, working at the dial lock. "He and Kairi went off-world for something or another. They're gonna be gonna for a few days more. Keyblade stuff." She scoffed. "Can't exactly blame them for leaving you behind."

_Interesting._ It would make sense, that Sora or Kairi weren't there for whatever reason, even if there was no way Kairi would let herself miss that many school days. "Keyblade stuff" or otherwise. _I suppose if I am meant to finish this test myself, the two of them won't appear in any of my Constructed Worlds. And me, vice-versa._

As Riku stood passively in thought, Irvine passed by, slapping him on the shoulder.

"Hey, get a move on there, buddy. You gonna add tardiness to your rap sheet today?"

Riku was going to reply with some snappy comment, or insult, when he stopped himself again. All around him, the various students were rushing off to their next class, as the period between morning classes came to a close. Even Faris had changed out her books for whatever lesson was coming up for her. _What am I doing, exactly? Wasting my time in this hole?_

Even if this wasn't a dream, he had better things to do.

"Nah, I think I'm done." Riku replied, walking forward to the exit. "One class was more than enough for me for the day."

"Seriously?" Faris questioned, looking rather cross at him. "Why did you even bother showing up?" When he didn't respond immediately, the tomboy added, "Do me a favour and stay clear of Lenna! I don't need your slacker attitude corrupting my sister!"

"Whatever, Faris. I'll see you guys around."

Riku couldn't rationalize why the Constructed World decided to plop him in the middle of a school day (other than just to screw with him), but the reason didn't matter. He wouldn't let this spell jerk him around and force him to follow it's preset path. Riku did things his own way. He made his own path, and would follow it to the end. Even when testing for his Mark of Mastery.

And, after all, he had already dropped-out of high school once in his life. What possible consequences could there be for doing so a second time?

**-D/D/D-**

"Well, that was a waste of an afternoon!"

Upon leaving school behind him, Riku began his quest to find whatever corruption lurked in this version of his hometown. Even after departing his home behind and moving to the Radiant Garden, Riku was still more than familiar with the streets of Salm. It would take more than a year away to dull those senses. But, despite checking every point of interest, scouring every back-alley and corner, talking to all the people with their noses to the ground about the goings on in town – the sailors and dock workers that scuttled across the port – he had come up with nothing.

Less than nothing!

No Heartless sightings. No Nobody spawnings. No monsters or fiends or demons or villains of any manner skulking in the shadows. Even going online and checking news sites and social media feeds, going back more than two weeks, there was nothing out of the ordinary. In Salm. On the island of Saka-Ama. On any of the neighbouring islands in the chain.

It was the same, old, Plain Jane, vanilla ass Destiny Islands he had known for his entire life!

"Maybe I should have just stayed in school – Wait!? What am I saying?"

Normally, he would be exceptionally pleased to hear his home was safe and quiet, but he was on a mission. He had a purpose and goal. Riku didn't necessarily know what to expect. Maybe Maleficent or Zexion causing trouble? Seeing as how it was a world made up of his memories and experiences and all, that would have made sense.

But, nope. There was nothing.

The Islands were as quiet and harmonious as they had been since before that night. The night Sora received the Keyblade.

The night Riku had summoned an apocalypse down upon his home.

So, faced with a dead end, Riku fell back in to old habits. He hit the gym, to blow of some steam and clear his head with a light workout. Two-hundred reps on the dumbbells each, for his biceps, deltoids, and triceps, twenty-minutes at the speed bag and the heavy punching bag, and a half-hour of incline running. A light workout. Riku followed that with a quick lunch, and then headed back home to regroup and draw up a new strategy.

Well, it was once "home". Not since had moved out. But, if this world plopped him right back in high school, surely his dad's apartment would be present, too.

"I'm home." Riku said, to no in particular, as he opened the old apartment door via his Keyblade. Indeed, the posh and well-furnished apartment hadn't changed a lick since Riku last inhabited it. It's as if this spell and turned the clock back on his life a full year...

And, of course, the apartment was entirely vacant. Despite currently being in a simulated dream world constructed from Riku's memories and his connections with others, even that wasn't reason enough for Ryuto Akiyama to leave work, come off the road, and actually come home.

_Whatever. I'm probably better off without._ Riku flopped down on the couch and began flicking through television channels, looking for something to occupy his time. _Just keep to myself and focus. This corruption will pop up sooner or later._ It always seemed, wherever he or Sora or Kairi went, trouble had a habit of following them. Or, it was just attracted to the Keyblade. Whichever. All Riku knew was that, if there wasn't anything immediately out of place, he would be patient, plan his moves carefully, and wait for this aberration to become apparent.

The TV eventually settled on soccer highlights, something Riku was only half paying attention to. His eyes focused more on the score box in the corner, as well as the timer, both set of numbers acting normally. Riku recalled a bit of trivial trivia in his mind, that even in a lucid dream, the subconscious mind had difficulty processing series of numbers, especially those that counted up or down. Your mind would normally render them as a series of nonsense symbols and letters. Riku quickly checked the time on his phone, the digital display rendered normally, as well.

"Whatever else this may be, this is one hell of a deep dream..." Riku commented to himself, stretching back in the couch. As he did, his gaze was caught upon the landline phone and answering machine resting on the kitchen counter-top. A blinking light on the machine indicated there was a message stored within it.

This was incredibly strange, because the apartment hadn't been home to a landline in over five years.

"Is this it, Yen Sid?" Riku joked aloud, as he moved to the foreign machine. "Is this my corruption? The mysterious answering machine?" It was an out-of-place element, even more so than him being on the Islands or in school, but that still made it only a very minor corruption. "I suppose I'll listen to whatever is on it, before I best it and clear my test." Riku pressed the button.

An electronic beep answered him, followed by a digital voice informing him, "_One. New. Message._"

And then, a recording player of a voice that was familiar to the teen, but one he hadn't heard in years and years.

Riku's entire body tensed up from the first spoken word.

"_Hello, Riku. I just wanted to call and check-in before we departed tomorrow. Make sure all of our bases are squared. The ferry Izuka and I are on will dock at ten-to-two tomorrow afternoon. Don't worry about meeting us, we'll go find some place to have lunch and then meet up when you finish school._" There was a pause. "_This was, very kind of you to invite us for the weekend. We're... Izuka is very much looking forward to it. Anyway, you have my cell number, please call if anything comes up. We'll see you tomorrow._"

"_End. Of. Final. Message._"

Riku was left shellshocked, all the joviality and humour in the scenario had vanished, as a newer, bigger out-of-place element presented himself.

It was his mother.

His mother and sister were coming to visit tomorrow.

After who knows how many years apart, Riku would come together with his estranged family. In this dream.

He took it well.

"Oh, what the hell!?"

* * *

**Character File #03**  
**Riku Akiyama**** (Kingdom Hearts; 2002 video game)  
Home World:** Destiny Islands (Salm Township, Saka-Ama Island)  
**Date of Birth:** September 5, 1255 U.E. (Island Reckoning)/ 527 Age of Phoenix (Garden Reckoning)  
**Age/Zodiace Sign:** 18 (Virgo)  
**Height:** 6'1"/1.85 M  
**Weight:** 212 lbs/96 kg

**Occupation:** Freelance Adventurer  
**Family:** Ryuto Akiyama (father; estranged), Kanon Harukaze (mother; estranged), Izuka Harukaze (younger sister; estranged)  
**Hobbies & Interests:** Working Out/Exercise, Sports (Soccer, football, and ice hockey), Martial Arts, Pro Wrestling, Travel, Video Games

**Favourite Foods:**  
-Fresh seafood  
-Steak and beef hamburgers  
-Coffee  
-Dark and sour beer

**Least Favourite Foods:  
**-Potatoes  
-Raw Onions  
-Tea  
-Drinks and desserts that are too sweet

* * *

_And so Riku begins his test, waking in a different time and place, and having to reckon with something a bit more personal than he was expecting._

_-It's been my head-canon for a while now that Riku comes from a less than stable home life, which explains why he is the way he is. Not saying that all divorces or non-atomic families negatively effect children like they have Riku, just that he specifically has been effected by it. If you do want to know a little more about Riku's familial situation, then I would recommend checking out my Christmas story, **XmaSaga of Light**, as it gives a bit more background on his family._

_-So, last time, I spoke about how I felt the characters in KH were beginning to feel a bit smaller nowadays, and part of why I feel that is what I perceive as a growing homogenization of our protagonists. By III, it felt like everyone was so samey and indistinct from everyone else. Like, they all tackled tasks the same way and there was no interpersonal conflict or anything of the like. They just were all generally good and got along. It makes no sense from a characterization perspective and is boring from a narrative perspective. I dunno, tell me if I'm crazy or if you feel the same thing, please._

_-Anyways, in response to that, I like to handle our Bestiny Trinity a little differently. Both in how they approach problems and how they interact with others. Sora is friendly and sunny and jumps into danger with no hesitation. Kairi has a tendency to get trapped within her own head, and still has confidence issues, but always tries to put on a brave face. Riku is rude, sullen, and grouchy, prefers to work alone, and solves problems directly. Roxas and Namine and Aqua are distinct from each other, and those three, as well. Not wholly unique, or each with a completely different methodology, but just enough to create some spice and variety with our characters. Y'know, how it should be._

_But, regardless, the set up (for the first world) is done. Now, Sora, Riku, and Kairi begin their quest in earnest. What do you think will happen next to our heroes? Who is in for a smooth sailing, and who will face a rough ride? Any responses on my ideas of characterization, both in canon and in my stories? Please, never hesitate to respond to a chapter with a review, comment, question, or critique. All are welcomed and appreciated!_

_Until next time, keep moving forward on your own journey, dear traveler._


	6. Autumn Mountain, Spring Wind

**DDD  
The Dreamers, The Destroyer, and The Departed  
****Chapter Six  
****Autumn Mountain, Spring Wind**

The ferry terminal was a busy hub of activity on a Friday afternoon. Hundreds of people coming and go about, for business or pleasure. A tumultuous sea of people.

Riku wore a sour and uncomfortable face as he braced himself amongst this sea. _Why am I even doing this? Why am I even here?_

Above his head, he held a cardboard sign that read "**HARUKAZE**" in big black letters.

When his parents had divorced, and his mom left, she had taken to using her maiden name once more.

Riku looked up at the digital clock in the corner of the room. The digital display still read as normal, dream or not, showing the time as ten past two in the afternoon. Their ferry had docked twenty minutes ago, but a little delay was to be expected, considering the pre-weekend afternoon rush.

Time past further, and Riku felt... well, even he couldn't quite divine what he felt. Anticipation? Nervousness? Annoyance? Confusion? A mix of all that and more? He wasn't even sure what his reasoning for entertaining this little side sojourn was. It's not like this reality was real, not like he was actually seeing his real mother and sister after... how long had it been?

_Have I really lost track of that?_ Riku thought, forlornly. He stared off into space, wracking his brain and trying to recall exactly when was the last time he saw the two of them in the flesh. _I'm confident it was before Sora got the Keyblade, but..._

The minutes kept on rolling by, and, eventually, Riku caught sight of two individuals who, even at a glance, were unmissable. The two mops of snow white hair stood out far too much.

Kanon Harukaze was a middle-aged woman whose white hair was worn in a loose bun, with her face framed by dark, horn-rimmed glasses. She carried herself with an air of intelligence and dignity, but her face showed the mixed signs of weariness and focus that only a lifelong teacher possessed.

Izuka Harukaze was a slight, wisp of a fourteen year old girl, hair the same shade as her mother, styled so that it was all parted to the left and worn long to the shoulder. Even in youth, Izuka had always been fairly skinny, but now she was stuck in a very awkward stage of adolescence, having hit a growth spurt so that she stood taller than her mother, with overly-long, lanky limbs. She seemed very self-conscious, Riku noted, as she walked in a more guarded and confined stance. Where Kanon's eyes were a soft shade of hazel, Izuka shared her brother's hue of bright aquamarine.

With the two finally in sight, Riku jogged forward to meet them. He was tired of just waiting around. The sooner he finished up, the sooner he could get on with finding whatever this corruption was.

"Riku... What are you doing here?" Kanon asked in surprise, as he approached the two. Izuka smiled shyly at the sight of her older brother. "I told you, we could wait until you got out of class for the day." Riku only rolled his eyes, a gesture that did not escape his mother's notice. She frowned at the minor defiance, but he paid no mind.

"I can miss one class, for one day. It won't kill me, mom." The word felt awkward on his tongue and lips. It held in the air like a lead balloon. _This is beyond awkward... I really just couldn't fight Ansem again for the umpteenth time, Yen Sid?_

His mother seemed conflicted. "But this is your senior year. You really shouldn't be blowing classes off like this."

_Oh, if you only knew..._

Riku had not informed his mom he had dropped out of high school. In either this dream or in actual reality. Nor had he told her of his decision to pack it all up and move to a whole other alien world. Well, calling Radiant Garden "alien" was a stretch, but regardless, Riku could only imagine Kanon's reaction towards those facts.

"Mom, it's okay." Came Izuka, with a quiet, high voice. "This is a nice surprise, so let's just enjoy it." To her daughter, Kanon agreed and relented.

With that business set away, Izuka quickly set her luggage down and dove into her brother for a big, warm, awkward sibling hug. The girl may have gone through a pretty big growth spurt, but Riku still had more than a few inches on her, as Izuka wrapped her arms around her midsection. Surprisingly, to anyone that knew Riku and his aversion of physical affection, he happily returned the gesture.

"It's good to see you again, Riku." Izuka said.

"You too," Riku returned fondly. "Staying out of trouble, ZuZu?" This caused the girl to retreat, eyes cast downward. "What?"

"No one's called me by that nickname in ages. Almost four years..."

_That's right, I remember now._ The last time Riku had met with his estranged family members was nearly four years ago, maybe six months before him opening the world to the darkness. Before all these crazy adventures and battles began.

_Has it really been that long?_ He thought, both in relation to his family and what he (and Sora and Kairi) had been through in the intervening time.

When the siblings broke their hug, Kanon came up to perform the same gesture, hugging her son fondly and offering greetings and good tidings. Riku's response was less warm than the one he offered his sister, however, only loosely throwing one arm over his mom's shoulder, as all of his muscles clenched up. He wanted nothing more than for the embrace to end, and to put some breathing room in between him and his mother.

However, the separation proved to be just as uncomfortable, as the two share silent, painful glances at each other, neither party really knowing what to say.

Now Riku's feelings were starting to become much more discernible to himself. He was honestly excited to see Izuka again, he had sorely missed his little sister. And while, yes, he had surrogates in the forms of Kairi and Namine, nothing could beat the genuine article. His mother, however... already, he could feel the cold, glacial distance between them. The feelings not said, and his own vitriolic emotions towards the woman bubbling up inside of him. Riku's teenage years had put a sour perspective on both of his parents, but they were so often absent from his life, it never really came up.

And now he was here. And so was she.

Even if it was a simulation of his mother, it was still too damn close to the real thing. Too real and too raw.

"So... uh, I take it you guys are hungry after the ferry ride? Wanna grab a bite to eat?" He finally managed to say, after an all too pregnant pause. Both of them agreed, grabbing their luggage, as the group departed.

As they walked, trying to decide where to eat, Kanon and Izuka happily chatted with each other, and with Riku, only offered the occasional brief and perfunctory response.

_Just what have I gotten myself into?_

**-D/D/D-**

"So, Riku, tell me," Kanon began. She had barely touched her _tagliatelle con uovo e formaggio_, more intent on trying to catch up with her son. "How has school been going for you? You were always such a good student when you were younger..."

They had wandered to a small restaurant halfway between the ferry terminal and a nearby marina. A quaint, charming place that specialized in fresh-made pasta and freshly caught seafood (course, the latter wasn't exactly in short supply on the Islands...). Riku always enjoyed coming here. This is was where had his first lunch back, after returning from defeating the Organization.

"School is... school. Same old, same old." Riku replied, diplomatically. He was trying to keep his cool, for everyone's sake, but for the past half hour, his mother had been relentless in needling him and prying into his personal life. Kanon had always been like this, Riku recalled, inquisitive and with a desire to fully involve herself in her children's lives.

It was annoying. And the conversation was ruining his crab ravioli. It took a lot to ruin the crab ravioli at this place...

For her part, Kanon seemed unsatisfied by the non-answer. "Well, what colleges have you been looking at? What course? Do you have an idea of what you want to do with yourself come post-secondary?" Izuka silently observed the two while finishing the eggplant that came with her dish.

Riku slowly chewed on a piece of crab, just to try and send the message he was averse to this line of questioning. "I have not, and not really. I don't think college is the right path for me..." His mom seemed taken aback by this.

"What do you mean? What will you do with yourself without a college degree? I know in my day and age, you could get along fine without one, but in this world, you really need-"

"I'll be fine, mom." Riku interrupted, tersely and testily. He then took a moment to step back and lighten his tone. "What I meant was, you don't need to worry about me. I'll find something. Besides, I have all munny from he contracts we signed with Parabollix." The multimedia corporation had paid a pretty penny for the right's to the collected adventures of Sora, Riku, and Kairi, and it had proved a worthwhile gamble. The _Kingdom Hearts_ media franchise was already a smash hit on Radiant Garden and the surrounding nations, and was beginning to make inroads on the Islands and in Twilight Town and the Kingdom of Disney, too. "So long as those royalty cheques keep coming in, I'll be fine."

"Even ignoring financial security, will you really be fulfilled living that life?"

Riku just stared at her from across the table. Sometimes, he took for granted how much his and the others' everyday life had become integrated with the wider Realm around them, and how there were still certain others in his orbit that were largely unaware.

Kanon and Izuka certainly fell into the latter category.

"I have the whole wide universe at my fingertips. I can go anywhere. Do anything. I'll be fine." He reiterated, heavily stressing the last three words.

Kanon went to speak again, but caught herself, seemingly remembering who she was speaking to. Who her son had become in the lost years. "You're right, I suppose. Sometimes it's hard to remember all that stuff that has happened to you. That it's even real, and not just some wild fantasy." Riku had only ever given his parents a cliff's notes version of what had happened on the adventure he and his friends had taken. Less awkward questions that way.

Kanon smiled and laughed slightly. "It's even stranger when I overhear my students talking about those games, hearing them speak about my own son like he's son kind of superhero."

"I'm no hero." Riku grumbled, slouching down in his chair. "That's Sora and Kairi. I was just there."

"Don't slouch, Riku." Kanon chided like only a mother could.

Riku bristled in annoyance, but relented.

"You know, actually, Izuka has become a bit of a fan of... all that stuff your stories are based on."

Izuka blinked rapidly, looking like a deer in the headlights, a slight flush creeping across her cheeks.

"I-I'm not really. My friends are big into it, I guess, b-but I just know stuff through osmosis..." Izuka stammered, speaking to her brother. She could see where her mom was trying to nudge her towards, and was trying to head her off.

"Oh, please, Izuka. The other month you begged me to give you an advance on your allowance so you could buy that one game."

Izuka looked across the table towards her brother, looking for deliverance. Riku only smirked slightly, giving her a knowing look.

"What was it you said? 'Riku's playable in this one. I'll die if I don't get this as soon as I can'."

Izuka seemingly shrank in her seat, avoiding Riku's line of vision. She seemed absolutely embarrassed that her brother was hearing these things. Riku decided to be merciful and throw her a lifeline.

"So, I take it your a KH fan?"

"I-I mean, yeah..." Izuka stuttered, blushing again. "Not every girl can say their brother has his own video game and anime. And besides," her voice dropped a few decibels, Riku had to strain to hear her. "I wanted to know more about what happened. About your guys' story..."

"Those games are just fluff pieces. It's not how it really happened." Riku grumbled bitterly. Certain elements had been changed by the creative team (mostly involving Riku...) to make things more palatable to a general audience. Not that he cared. So long as the cheques didn't bounce, they could do whatever they wanted to do.

"Well, what did happen?" Izuka seemed eager to learn more.

Riku felt quite the opposite.

"That... it's a long story. I don't really wanna get into it right now." Now Riku shifted away from his sister, his fingers fidgeting against the table. He took a parting glance at his mom, who seemed pleased that the two of them were (sorta) getting along. That was good, at least. Changing gears again, Riku said, "So, ZuZu, are you still writing?"

Growing up, Izuka had always been the creative type. Basically from the moment she learned to talk – then read and write – she had a habit of spinning all kinds of stories. Well, Riku remembered most of the ones she made involved unicorns and princesses, but she was four at the time, so he probably shouldn't hold it against her.

Izuka perked up, previously disappointed by her brother's verbal evasion. "Yeah, yeah, of course. My school offers AP Lit and Creative Writing for all years, so that's really exciting. And I joined the Prose & Poetry Club, that's been a lot of fun. All the upperclassmen in it are really nice." She smiled shyly, Riku nodding at her. He was happy she was doing well, able to enjoy her hobby and creative outlet.

The slight girl chatted a bit more, before Kanon broke in, interrupting her daughter, as she mostly spoke about what she had been doing to enjoy herself via her hobby.

"Don't be so modest, dear." Kanon said, beaming proudly. "Do you know that her Writing teacher submitted a few of her short stories to a national prose magazine? And that they've been excepted?" Izuka suddenly looked fairly sullen and deflated, as if she didn't care too too much about these factoids. Kanon was oblivious to this fact, and pressed on, overjoyed in her daughter's accomplishment.

"...And the readership counts among it all manner of esteemed writers and literati, and they're going to read my daughter's stories! I couldn't be more happy or excited!"

"It's not a big deal mom." Izuka mumbled into the straw of her drink. "And I don't really care that much. Besides, Mr. Kanbara submitted eight stories and they only picked up two. It's nothing so special."

Kanon would hear nothing of it, and continued unabated. Riku once more rolled his eyes, this time more stealthily, or his mom was just so consumed with the topic at hand, she didn't notice. This was on brand for her, either way, focused solely on her children's education and accomplishments. It was probably common territory when your parent was a teacher, but Riku still found it so damn annoying. He just wanted to be left alone, free from interference to live his own life, his way.

The three continued to talk, Riku doing his best to remain polite and talkative, before finishing up their meal and settling the bill. As Riku and his family departed the eatery, he couldn't help but shake the feeling that... something was watching them. He couldn't quite describe the feeling, but there was a sort of scratching sensation in the back of his head. Things weren't quite right in the immediate area, but he didn't know in what way.

_I'm probably just in a bad mood. Nothing serious, at the moment..._

Riku offered to escort the girls back to his apartment, only to earn a pair of quizzical looks from his mother and sister. Apparently they had booked a hotel, a fact they had told him, and it just wasn't like him to forget such pertinent details. The overlapping layers of dream world and waking world were starting to be a real pain.

"Going back to the previous topic at hand," Kanon began, her and Izuka lagging behind Riku as they walked. This was despite the fact that they were going to their hotel room, and yet, somehow, Riku was still leading the way for everyone. "Even if you aren't serious about college right now, how has school been going for you, Riku?"

Riku's shoulders hunched up, as he cricked his neck to the side, his entire body language showing his negative reaction to that line of questioning. _Back to frickin' education and school, really?_ He thought, trying to make it seem like he was chewing on the question, rather than just outright rejecting it._ You could've asked me anything else about my life, but you went for the most irrelevant thing?_

Then again, it wasn't exactly fair for him to think like that. Kanon didn't know he had dropped out of school and had moved on from the Islands. She did not know that Riku spent his days lending a hand to the recovery and stability efforts on Radiant Garden, then whisking off to even farther flung worlds to head-off the Heartless still plaguing innocents, making sure the worlds were safe and secure. Kanon didn't know Riku's days lacked any kind of structure and simply had a basic rhythm, as he constructed his own path in life, step-by-step.

Maybe it was time to do the mature. Rip this band-aid off and live with the consequences of his decisions.

"Actually, mom," Riku finally said, coming to a stop on the sidewalk. Trying to keep his expression as neutral as possible, he turned to face his mother and sister. "I have not told you the full truth. I dropped out of school at the start of my senior year. I'm done, and I'm not going back."

"What?"

His mother's response was immediate and sharp, equal parts accusatory and disbelieving. Kanon Harukaze stood her ground, speechlessly demanding a further explanation from her son, challenging him to satisfy whatever misgivings she had. It was a very motherly sort of look and stance.

Izuka took a few steps away from both of them, seemingly not wanting to be swept away in the impending fight.

Riku met his mother's gaze, holding still in the face of the challenge. "You heard me. I dropped-out. I came to the decision that traditional schooling isn't for me, and so I left. Nothing more to it."

"So you lied to me, then? When you said school was going fine earlier?"

"You're really homing in on that of all things?" Riku, once more, rolled his eyes.

"That you lied to me? That you hid it from us. That you made this decision without consulting us? Yes, I am, Riku." Kanon said in rapid order, her voice picking up. "Did you even talk to your father about this?"

"Pfft. No! Why in the world would I talk to him about this?" Riku scoffed in sheer bemusement. "When would he ever be around for us to discuss this?"

Kanon didn't seem amused by that answer, folding her arms over her chest, as she trenched in even more. "Because he's your father? Because we're your parents and you're our son and we have every right to be informed decisions like this?"

The silver-haired teen clenched his fists and growled quietly. So, she was trying to play that card, huh? "We're your parents". Riku actually had to hold in a howl of laughter because of that comment. "Yeah, well, whatever. What's done is done." He paused for a brief moment, where Kanon tried to swoop in and say something, but Riku quickly snapped to keep control of the conversation. "And don't ask 'What am I going to do with my life'? I can go anywhere, do anything. Experience anything I want to, firsthand." People may have been staring at the arguing mother and son pairing right now. He wasn't aware, and didn't fully care. It felt good to finally get all of this off his chest. "With what I've been through and what I have, everything in every world is at my fingertips. Why would I bother wasting my time sitting in some crappy school, listening to some self-important jackass drone on about some inane nonsense that doesn't apply to me... when I could be doing literally anything else?"

The white-haired woman bowed her head, in shame and contrition, adjusting her glasses. Riku's rant seemed to have shattered Kanon's veneer of bravado and indignation. A tense and lengthy beat followed in the wake of Riku's words, the teen staring down his parent, anticipating her rebuttal, while Izuka was still standing off to the side, worry writ large upon her face.

"Even if all that is true, we're still your parents." Came Kanon's soft reply, avoid the intensity of Riku's gaze as she spoke. "We have a right to know about this."

"No. No you do not." Riku's words were as sharp and cold as ice, once more cutting his mother down.

"Riku, I absolutely-"

"You do not!" Riku snapped, loudly. Izuka jumped back in fright, and even his mom looked startled. People were definitely staring now. "You have no right to tell me what to do, because you walked out. Ten years ago, you walked out. You left! You forfeited any right to be my parent and involve yourself in my life back then!" He had been bottling this up for a long, long time. Even if this wasn't the real Kanon Harukaze, unleashing these bilious words was therapeutic even when directed to an avatar possessing her likeness. "I don't need you in my life, I don't need your permission or your advice or anything. I never needed you! Not back then, and certainly not now."

Riku exhaled; a long, drawn out breath. A certain fragment of himself felt extremely happy and sated.

For a moment, though, he wasn't sure what his mom's immediate reaction was going to be. She looked stunned that her son – her fully grown, adult son, but still – had the gall to speak to her like that, as shimmers of anger, doubt, confusion and rejection flashed in her eyes. Riku couldn't remember many times in his life he had seen his mom get angry, save for the dying days of her marriage, so actually seeing her wrestle with that emotion – whether or not to return fire at a similar level of vehemence – was just a touch strange.

In the end, however, Kanon's cool and poised demeanor won out, as she swallowed her anger, though still frowning and furrowing her brow at Riku.

"I see..." She said, choosing her words slowly, almost forcing them out. "Well, if that is the case, maybe the two of you should spend the rest of the afternoon together." Kanon took several powerful, purposeful strides down the street, walking past Riku without sparing him a second look. "I'm going to the hotel to rest for a bit. It's been a... trying day."

_Now that's an understatement._ Riku thought in snarky tones.

"Izuka, just be certain to be back before dark, okay?"

"Hey, mom, don't go!" Izuka began to give chase, but Riku grabbed a hold of her shoulder.

"Just let her go, Izuka. Give her some breath room..."

His younger sister looked back at him, offering an upset glower, but didn't protest. By that time, their mother had sped away out of sight, so it was pointless to argue, anyway.

Now that his feelings had been laid bare and both his mom and sister had given their reaction, Riku's internal fulfillment waned. Of course this is what happened. Of course! For years, he kept his emotions all bottled up, then let them explode in a violent, loud torrent. He meant what had been said, he believed the things he said, but... he probably could have done it in a more diplomatic manner, more strategic and delicate, been more empathetic to how his mom would have felt...

_Whatever. What's done is done. Can't take my words or action back, even if I wanted to._

Riku knew that fact better than most.

Well, at least there was a bright side to all this. He would get a few more hours of time together with Izuka. That's what he really wanted. Riku could care less about either of his biological parents, but he still cared deeply for his little sister. Plus, with this forced separation, he could start tomorrow fresh, and fully focus on finding whatever corruption lurked in this world, finish it off, and then move on, putting this dream world behind him for good.

But, little did Riku know as her tried to convince his little sister to come with him and find something to occupy their time, this aberration he was hunting was closer than he thought...

**-D/D/D-**

"Why did you have to say all that stuff to her, Riku?"

"Because... I had to. It was the truth. I was tired of just grinning and baring it. I wanted to say all of that. For a long while now."

He tried to move past all of this. He really did. Past the unpleasantness. Try and make something better of the day.

Riku and Izuka had spent over ninety minutes – maybe closer to two hours – just touring through the streets of Salm, talking and taking in the sights (having left at the age of four, Izuka had only a handful of strong memories of her hometown), but his little sister was fairly cold and distance, clearly still upset at him. A dark pall was constantly reflected upon the two siblings. Izuka was full of nervous energy – and not what was just typical to the shy girl – and was constantly fretting over the state of her mother, anxious over the fight she had just witnessed and the the fallout that was yet to come. Things only got worse, as Izuka decided to check in on her mother, only to find out she had still not checked into the hotel as of yet. Riku watched in real time as his sister's face loss even more colour.

He had tried to argue that this wasn't a big deal, she was just walking around to clear her head. That mom wasn't really tired, that was just a polite lie to excuse herself from Riku's company. Izuka was hearing none of it, practically racing off into the streets of town, Riku giving pursuit because he wasn't about to chase off both his mother and sister in one singular day.

So far, the search hadn't exactly yielded fruitful results.

"Has she answered her phone yet?" Riku asked. The two siblings had taken a moment to catch their breath, idling on the edge of a public park. Riku scanned the streets of town from his vantage point. They were crowded, and the crowds were only swelling in size. Five o'clock on a Friday was a bad time to go searching for one person.

"No. Nothing yet." Izuka sighed, returning her phone to her bag.

"Crying out loud, she is such a mom sometimes..." Riku noticed his sister was looking at her. "What?"

"Do you really have to make jokes like that right now?"

Riku shrugged off the look and the tone. "It's true." He looked back up at the crowds. There seemed to be some increase activity among the expanding mass of people, but he couldn't discern what the cause was.

"Just because it's true, doesn't mean you should go around saying it." Izuka muttered, scuffing at the lawn with her feet. Riku ran his fingers through his hair and sighed.

"Are you really that upset over this?" As he spoke to his sister, Riku kept his eyes firmly locked on the people in the streets. At certain moments, it sort of looked like some people were...running away? From what?

"I just... I was worried about this all week, having the two of you in the same place, at the same time. I was afraid you would start fighting, and... it was worse than even what I imagined."

"Yeah, well," Riku turned away from the crowd for a moment, to address his sister face-to-face. "You guys'll go home on Sunday and she can just forget about all this. Mom won't have to worry about me again."

"Riku... I know she has a weird way of showing it, and it rubs you the wrong way, but mom does care about you." Now it was Riku's turn to look at his sister, unerring eyes demanding further explanation. "Like, that night Sora's mom called and told her about everything that happened, and how you were finally home and safe... Mom cried for hours after that. She was so relieved to hear you were okay..."

That gave Riku pause. He almost forgot he had blown off talking to Kanon about their adventures and returning home. He made sure to tell Izuka, he basically had to tell his dad (when he actually bothered to show up at home), but he didn't even deign to offer a basic explanation to his mom, leaving Sayaka to fill in for him.

I guess it would be silly of him to ever think his mom didn't love him – only the truly monstrous couldn't bring themselves to care for their own children – but... well, he didn't know "but what". Riku did not spend much time thinking about his parents or what they thought of him and the things he did. They just weren't an important, relevant part of his life.

The corners of Riku's lips twitched, he could handle introspection but emotional introspection such as this was a little beyond his comfort zone. "Listen, ZuZu, me and mom, it's-"

An ear-splitting shriek split the air.

The movement in the crowd hit a zenith. People running in a panic away from something further down the street.

For the moment, Riku pushed away his familial drama, as his instincts kicked in. He certainly didn't consider himself to be a hero, but he was still a problem solver. And a bit of an idiot, who threw himself into difficult situations with reckless abandon, he reflected, as he pushed against the rushing crowds.

He snarled when he turned the corner, seeing the source of the commotion. _Oh, you jerks just have the worst timing, don't you?_

Heartless weren't an incredibly common sight on Salm. Whether that was because of Kairi's Light and protective charm, or the fact that the Islands were bit of a backwater world, out in the boonies of the Realm, Riku couldn't say, but even if Heartless spawning in was a rare occurrence, the people still knew trouble when they saw it, and were smart enough to run away.

As Riku summoned Way to Dawn, Izuka wound her way through the crowds, to her brother's side. For a moment, her fear and anxiety seemed to wash away, as she marveled at seeing her brother's Keyblade for the first time.

"ZuZu, stay close to me, got it?" Riku cautioned, taking up his stance. It was really nothing to worry about. Yet. Just some garden variety Heartless – mostly Shadows and Darkballs – and at this point in Riku's career, they were no threat. He could probably glare at them for a couple of seconds and some of them would dissipate on their own.

Riku moved through the hordes of Heartless with deft precision, cutting the darklings down left and right. No wasted movement.

Izuka watched on with worshipful amazement, eyes as big as saucer plates. "Oh, he is so cool..."

"You say something, ZuZu?" Riku asked, as he struck down the last linger enemies. His little sister shook her head rapidly, blushing shyly at the question. "Whatever. We don't have time to stand around and talk, anyways. If there are Heartless around, we need to find mom. Fast."

The white-haired girl nodded, taking out her phone again, to make another phone call, when a slithering shadow slid across the ground beneath the siblings. A much larger, more fearsome Heartless rose up from the asphalt road at the end of the street, it's very presence seemingly challenging Riku. The thing looked like a large, bloated angler fish, with a serpentine tail and a pair of claw forefins. A horrific, vile grin dominated it's mouth, full of long, dagger-like teeth.

"Ooh, you're an ugly son of a bitch, ain't ya?" Riku drew himself into a fighting stance again. Maybe this one could provide a tiny bit of a workout. The dark Key Bearer was ready to engage, when his attention was momentarily broken by Izuka crying out.

"Mom! Look, Riku, it's mom!"

Indeed, finally the siblings had come across Kanon, who was currently running through the park they had just vacated... pursued by yet more Heartless. Riku had just enough time to look over his shoulder, catching sight of his mother, and seeing Izuka break into a full sprint, chasing after their mom, despite the danger.

"Izuka, wait! Hold up!" Riku shouted, but his sister pressed on without heed. The Keyblade Wielder let out an exasperated sigh, before turning back to the Cruel Angler Heartless, who was still waiting for him to charge. "You wait here." Riku ordered the Heartless with a pointed finger. "I'll come back to kill you in a little bit."

And now it was a chain of chases. Riku chasing Izuka chasing the Heartless chasing Kanon. The pack of hunting Heartless funnelled the white-haired woman down an alleyway, as Riku was calling at his sister to move out of the way, to give him a clear line of fire at the menacing monsters, but his sister still wouldn't listen – either by choice or just through the situation she found herself in.

With Kanon now pinned in the alley, and a carpet of Heartless teeming with malicious intent standing between her and her daughter, Riku took action, leaping towards the wall of the alley and then kick off and up. High in the air, he had all the room he needed to fire away and do away with the Heartless. From his left hand, Riku fired out several snaking lances of dark energy, that tore through the open air, impaling and skewering each and every Heartless in the pack.

Riku landed back at the mouth of the alley, both his family members sighing in relief.

But the moment was fleeting.

"Mom!" Izuka one more cried out in horror.

The shadow within the ground appeared again, sliding within the surface of the street, moving faster than Riku could process or respond. It moved across the entire length of the alley, before the Cruel Angler rose up, a looming threat cresting towards the surface.

Kanon looked like she could feel the foul presence behind her. Pallid, ghostly skin, deer in the headlights look.

Riku shouted something. He wasn't entirely sure what it was he tried to say. It didn't matter.

Riku and Izuka watched as the Angler Heartless clawed through the body and form of their mother.

Kanon Harukaze vanished. And something dark rose up in her place.

* * *

**Character File #04 – The Parents**

**Sayaka Kido (nee Shishigaya)****  
Homeworld: Destiny Islands  
Date of Birth: March 16  
Age: 40  
Height: 5'4"/1.62 M  
Occupation: Chef-owner of Twin Stars Bar & Restaurant**

**Yakuma Kido****  
Homeworld: Destiny Islands  
Date of Birth: December 1  
Age: 43  
Height: 5'7"/1.7 M  
Occupation: Executive Sales Officer and Head Brewmaster of Kingmaker Brewing Company**

**Ryuto Akiyama****  
Homeworld: Destiny Islands  
Date of Birth: February 18  
Age: 45  
Height: 5'9"/1.75 M  
Occupation: Junior Executive Vice President of Off-Shore Production for Polaris Shipping Company**

**Kanon Harukaze****  
Homeworld: Destiny Islands  
Date of Birth: May 2  
Age: 41  
Height: 5'4"/1.62 M  
Occupation: High school teacher**

**Mihara Shiratori****  
Homeworld: Destiny Islands  
Date of Birth: August 19  
Age: 43  
Height: 5'7"/1.7 M  
Occupation: Politician (former mayor of Salm Township; current Lieutenant Governor of Saka-Ama Island)**

* * *

_Ah, familial melodrama. What we all look for in our Kingdom Hearts stories. And yes, any similarities between Izuka and Namine are intentional, to underline how and why Riku sees the latter as a surrogate sister._

_Again, Riku and his conflicts with his parents was an idea I had bubbling around for a long while. He just seems like the type of character to have a less than happy home life, and the affected him, whether he likes to admit it or not. And now it's all spilling out at the worst possible time. Or, maybe the best time, given the nature of the test._

_-Another big headcanon element I designed was that Sora et al end up being essentially celebrities on worlds like Radiant Garden; worlds where the whole story is widely known. To that end, a multimedia company (Parabolix, a stand in for Square) works out a deal with them to turn their adventures into various forms of media to be consumed by their rabid fanbase, as well as spreading knowledge of their adventures to places like the Islands and Twilight Town._

_To that end, though, the Kindgom Hearts games in this universe are different from the games we know. Kingdom Hearts I follows the same story, but plays more like a Tales game. Lost Memories (this universe's Chain of Memories) is still is a card game, but is turn-based instead. Kingdom Hearts II still plays like a Tales game, but is obviously based on She Will Light The Way (shameless plug). And in place of Days, there is another side game called The Other Side, which follows Riku and Roxas in two campaigns in between Lost Memories and II, and is a spectacle fighter in the vein of Devil May Cry or Bayonetta._

_But, now, we're in the thick of things for the first section of our test. Riku has a reckoning to face, and some issues to come to terms with. How do you think he will get out of this jam? Please, don't be afraid to leave any comments or thoughts, all input and feedback is welcomed, and readers like you (yes you!) are what keep me motivated._

_Until next time, keep moving forward on your own journey, dear traveler._


	7. Grasping Hands

_Quick shout out before we begin to **Akarenger** who has been offering reviews and comments on a bunch of my works, as of late. Thank you for your input, Aka, it's always appreciated and always a treat to hear from you._

* * *

**DDD  
The Dreamers, The Destroyer, and The Departed  
Chapter Seven  
Grasping Hands**

Kairi wandered through the tunnels beneath Twilight Town for what seemed like hours, only guided only by the bright orb of light in her hand

The underground passages seemed to stretch on forever, miles and miles of dark corridors and twists and turns. It didn't help that the tunnels were full of stinking, standing fetid water and rotting trash, the foul stench hanging heavy in the air, wherever she went.

_It seems no town is perfect. All you need to do is scratch the surface just a little bit._ Kairi thought glumly, holding her breath as she crossed by a particularly rancid piece of garbage. Twilight Town always seemed so idyllic, but she guessed that even ideal locales needed some place to shunt away their garbage.

Kairi turned around another bend, stopping and checking behind her shoulder. The worst part was that Kairi hadn't seen a single thing since entering the subterranean tunnels, but also couldn't shake the sense that she was being followed. And by nothing, she meant she had seen nothing. No Heartless of any shape or size. Not even rats or clouds of flies, which you would think the place would be thick with them considering all the waste and refuse.

But no, nothing.

_I'm probably being paranoid._ She told herself, as she pressed onward. Still, she took the time to stand still and listen and varying intervals, and kept checking behind her back to make sure nothing was stalking her.

A short while later, Kairi stopped herself again, not to check behind her, but to check her surrounding all the same. _Something I saw out of the corner of my eye... it looked off..._ She waved her light source around, trying to illuminate as much of the area she was in as possible. When a ray of light reflected back to her, she knew she found it.

There were patches of some sort of black, gooey mass – shimmering in the light – that dotted the walls of where she was. Worryingly enough, they took the form of large, grotesque hand prints, and there were nearly a dozen of them. _Is it tar?_ Being smart enough not touch the gooey puddles with her bare hands, Kairi brought Oathkeeper forth and touched one of the prints with it's teeth. Instantly, the head of the blade adhered to the puddle, glued to the spot. There was some give to the mass, as Kairi tried to force separation, but she couldn't produce enough force to pry the weapon away.

Dismissing her Keyblade, Kairi stared at the prints for a while longer. She was certain she was on the right trail, she had found the culprit, but a knot had formed in the pit of her stomach, warning her she wasn't going to like what she found.

Moving at a more deliberate pace now, trying to keep the noise her footfalls made to a minimum (difficult, considering the echo the passages possessed) and trying to be full aware of her surroundings as to not get ambushed, Kairi pressed further on into the maze of tunnels.

After many more minutes of wandering, and spotting yet more suspicious hand prints of the same black ooze, Kairi came across yet another odd sight. She arrived a T-junction where one of the routes was blocked up with various scraps of debris. So far, through all the turns and bends and junctions, none of them had been blocked away, and yet this one was fully barricaded by a pile of junk.

"Well, I think I may have stumbled onto something..." Kairi said under her breath, as she worked at clearing away the barricade. Unfortunately, she couldn't exactly do this quietly, giving away her position that she had worked so hard to suppress. "A necessary casualty, I guess." Odds are, given the nature of the test, she was going to have to face whatever was behind this sooner or later, better go for broke now.

Clearing a large enough gap to pass, Kairi moved beyond the wall of junk, quickly finding herself in a dead end alcove and she could clearly see Olette and Fuu and the other girls.

_Jackpot!_

All of the captives were hanging by the wall, breathing but unconscious, and stuck in place by the thick lair of black goo that encased their bodies, but they looked otherwise unarmed. The patches of glop were even more frequent in this little chamber, not doubt the nest of the monster responsible for this incident. Kairi tread very lightly over and around the gunk puddles, trying to puzzle out how to free the girls. Obviously touching this stuff was a bad idea, and she doubted she could cut through them with her Keyblade, which left her running through her arsenal of spells to try and come up with a solution.

Quickly testing her magic on the various puddles, she found the black goo disintegrated when exposed to fire or lightning, and ice magic froze and shattered it, but she was more than hesitant to use even the lowest power versions of those spells on base-line humans. Earth and wind magic didn't even cause the goo to budge, and Esuna seemed to have no effect, as well. _Okay, these aren't the best option at my – Wait! What if I try..._ Kairi conjured a stream of water that descended from the sky, crashing over a puddle on the floor, easily breaking down the adhesive material and washing it away.

"Perfect!"

Kairi whirled Oathkeeper around her, the Key Bearer generated a ribbon of flowing, crystalline water, which spiraled around her. When she had created enough, Kairi gathered all of the stream at the tip of Oathkeeper and wheeled it around once more, firing the spell at low velocity, and unleashing a wave of cleansing water which gently fell all over the captive girls, soaking their bodies and causing them to stir. The important part though, was, the majority of the black goo was cleared off, the girls slowly sliding down the wall, as their cocoon wrappings dissolved.

Victorious, Kairi approached the girls, shaking them to try and rouse them up.

"Olette! Fuujin! Get up, please, we have to get you out of here!"

Both of their eyes began to flutter open. "Kairi...?" Olette asked in confusion, her voice raspy.

"Long time, no see, eh?" Kairi joked with a warm smile, helping her friend to a standing base. Fuu was scrabbling along the ground, making sure the other victims were okay as well. "I'll explain later, but the important thing is we have to get you out of here, ASAP."

Fuu turned to look up at her, singular red eye not hidden by her bangs full of fear. "Careful. Heartless." Well, she was still speaking in only one or two words at a time, so Fuu was doing okay, at least.

"I can handle it, don't worry." Everyone seemed to be okay, maybe a little weak looking, but they were all up and looked like they could move under their own power. Though, Kairi noted, it was a little weird that a Heartless was behind this. Or, rather, that a Heartless was kidnapping people, instead of striking them down and sending their hearts into the darkness, birthing more Heartless.

_I guess it's just a conceit of the test and this Constructed World._ She told herself. It wasn't all that important at the moment, anyways.

Making sure it was safe, Kairi ushered the girls back to the T-junction. Some of them had were moving very slowly, needing a little hand to get along. A few of them had been here for almost two weeks, so it was understandable. Kairi also remembered she saw an exit not too far from here, she just had to remember which turns to take and which ones not to and-

A scuffling sound echoed out through the cavernous corridors, causing Kairi and all the other girls to freeze.

"It's that monster! That monster again!" One of the youngest girls cried out, as the sound of hands and feet scrabbling against stone intensified.

It was coming.

"Olette. Fuu." Kairi turned to her friends, disposition deadly serious. "I need you two to lead everyone up to the surface, can you do that?" Both girls nodded in affirmation. "Good." Something about this scenario – the Town, the tunnels, the unknown monster – was casting a pall of dread over Kairi, and she would rather not fight this thing and defend nine girls at the same time, if it could be helped.

Olette and Fuu did their job, corralling the other seven girls and leading them away, hopefully towards freedom and salvation, while Kairi stood her ground, facing the direction the sound was originating from.

But she wouldn't be passive and let the Heartless come to her, oh no, she was determined to get the first strike in. Kairi fired a series of spells down the dark tunnel – rays of lightning, spears of flame, and spheres of water – shooting blindly at the approaching menace. The sound of scuffling only grew louder and more frequent, the Heartless apparently dodging her magic.

Kairi kept up the pace for a while, but soon grew frustrated that none of her attacks were hitting the mark. This thing was apparently agile and shifty. The Key Bearer stayed her hand, conserving her mana, waiting with bated breath for this thing to emerge from the shadows.

_Come on. Come on! Just get out here, already!_ The dread cast down upon her only grew larger and larger.

Finally, lunging out of nowhere, the monster arrived.

It was truly a horrific thing, even by Heartless standards. A vile reptilian head, marred by a jagged X-shaped scar, with a wild mane of two-toned hair – flame red on the right side, pale blue to the left. The entirety of it's long, twisting body was covered in a thick layer of that odious black goo, taking the form of countless, endless, shifting and grasping hands, that rose and writhed at the edge of the surface of the glop.

With the Bandersnatch Heartless in her sights, Kairi opened up her magical onslaught once more, but the monster nimbly dodged out of the way, using it's myriad of sticking limbs to cling and climb around the curvature of the walls and ceiling. The Bandersnatch then launched it's counter, literally firing portions of it's slimy body at the Keyblade Wielder. The goop retained it's form of clawed, monstrous hands, making it look like several hands were extending through the air, aimed at Kairi, ready to grab her. Seize her. Take her away.

Kidnap her.

Momentarily, Kairi froze up in panic, as her heart welled up in her throat.

_No... No!_

Instinct and experience took over the redhead, as she quickly stepped away, letting the slimy hands impact with the tunnel floor, leaving thick, gooey puddles behind. Kairi breathed heavily, trying to steady herself and formulate a plan.

_That was close. Too close._ The Bandersnatch was lying in wait, hanging from the ceiling, waiting for her to make a move. _I'm in a bad spot here, I need to get up to the surface. Fast._ Kairi was well aware that she was at a disadvantage in the underground tunnels. The space was confined and cramped, and this thing was well versed at moving along the various surfaces. That black goo was bad news, too. If she got hit with it, she would be trapped, and it seemed only her magic could break it down. But even if she dodged it, it still adhered to the ground, leaving booby traps for her to step in and get stuck.

Not to mention, her panic and fear was getting the best of her.

_Get a hold of yourself, Kairi._ She told herself. _It's just a Heartless. You've beaten countless of these things._ Her logic was sound, but there was something more primal and irrational that had latched onto her psyche in this scenario.

Either way, Kairi needed to get out of her.

Holding Oathkeeper aloft, pointed at Bandersnatch, she taunted the horrific thing. "Bet you're pretty steamed at me for barging into you nest huh?" And then she turned tail and ran. "Then come and get me!"

Kairi could hear the Heartless scurry along the stone wall, as well as the wet squelching sound that indicated it was launching more hands at her. Spinning around and lifting herself into the air, Kairi cast her Barrier spell, just like Aqua had taught her, summoning the sphere-shaped shield of shimmering light around her, warding off the flurry of slime. All of the appendages stuck to the Barrier.

Kairi smirked confidently at the Heartless, before dropping the shield.

The hands that had been stopped by the wall once more began to shift and move, instantly swarming the Princess of Heart before she could possibly react. The slimy goo slithered it's way around her body, tightly binding her from the lower half of her bicep all the way down to her hands, her arms totally pinned to her sides.

"NOOO!" Kairi cried out in terror, as a chilling sensation spread down her spine and throughout her entire body. She helplessly fell to the ground with a thud, doing her best not to let the tar that ensnared her body touch anything else. Even her hands were sealed shut, locked away, so Oathkeeper clattered down and vanished in a flash of light. Kairi began to hyperventilate.

She was helpless. Defenseless. Powerless.

Panic took root in her heart, as the Bandersnatch crawled it's way along the ceiling, hanging precipitously above her. Leering down at it's prey, the Heartless extend more hands outward, still remaining attached to it's body, gliding out through the air, reaching out to take even further hold of Kairi.

"No. Stay away!" Kairi cried out in terror, trying to run away, but the dread that was lurking in her body was now in control. She slipped and stumbled, unable to get a good footing, as the hands inched and oozed their way towards her. Images of Axel and Saix flashed through her head, accompanied by feelings of utter helplessness. Kairi struggled and thrashed, but it was no use. The hands latched on to her, and began to slowly reel her into the sticky mass that was it's body.

"No! Help! Sora! Aqua! Someone! Anyone! Please, save me!" Fear was the only thing Kairi knew at the moment, so she called in shameless desperation. "This can't be happening! I'm suppose to be stronger than this! Why? Why now?!"

Wait...

_I am stronger than this._

The panic ebbed away momentarily, as Kairi realized what was happening. What she was doing.

What she had to do.

_No one is coming to save you, Kairi. You have to manage this yourself. This isn't Axel, and it isn't Saix. This is different. You're different!_

Taking a few deep breaths (thankfully, this Heartless was taking it's sweet time pulling her into it's body), Kairi steadied herself as best she could, taking in her surroundings, and getting to work. Slowly, Kairi began to rock her body back and forth, using the strands holding her as a pendulum, swinging up and down, trying to get closer to the Bandersnatch.

Kairi had had more than enough magic lessons over the years, with both Yuna and Aqua, to know the basics of channeling mana by heart. Mana existed as a core within the center of your being – like your heart – and to cast a spell, you had to direct it through your physical body, down a path and to an ending. Typically, this meant moving the mana down you arms and into your hands, or an object held in your hands, and projecting it outwards, but there were other outlets a person could use, they were all just much, much harder.

Kairi had never cast a spell through the soles of her feet, but her hands were bound, so she didn't have many options. It was do or die, as her swinging reached it's apex, the tips of her boots bare centimeters away from making contact with the Heartless. Kairi swung back the other way, shutting her eyes and mustering all the concentration she could, focusing on her core and sliding the magical energy down her legs. Momentum carried the redhead back the other way, back towards the Bandersnatch.

"I won't give in to fear. I'm a stronger person than I once was!"

The Fire spell she cast was pathetically small by her standards, but it did the trick. A minuscule jet of flame fired out from the soles of her boots. She cast the spell at just the right time, too, as it cut through the two lashes that connected her to the Heartless, while also grazing the surface of the monster itself. Kairi fell through the air once more, free of some of the entrapping bonds, but this time falling on her feet.

The Bandersnatch seemed to have a similar aversion to fire as it's goo, as the barest touch of the flame sent it cascading to the ground, spasming and twitching wildly, even if the Heartless could not truly feel pain.

Kairi took this opportunity to bolt once more, feeling weakened from the fear and the effort to cast her foot spell, but still determined to get to the surface. Now, more than anything, she needed to find a large source of water to wash away the glop that bound her arms together. A fountain or a pool, even a shop that was selling bottled water. She would take anything, at this point.

Further back, she could hear the Heartless recover and rush forth, pursuing her at it's fullest.

_Good._ Kairi thought, revenge on her mind. _I'm going to pay you back for making me feel that. For humiliating me like that._

Eventually, a literal light at the end of the tunnel came in sight; a breech to the surface. Kairi willed her legs to move even faster, sprinting at beyond maximum speed, as she could hear the Bandersnatch gaining on her, gooey hands splatting on the stone behind her.

Taking the steps in front of her two at a time, Kairi leaped out of the tunnels, thankful to be back in the fresh air and sunlight after who knows how many hours trapped down there. The Key Bearer emerged in the Sandlot, the wide open play space that the Towners used for sports and competitions.

All the kidnapped girls were here, too, looking bedraggled and exhausted. They looked up at her with a mixture of fear and cautious hope.

"Get back! Get away! It's coming!" Kairi warned all of them, yelling at the top of her lungs, as she dived through the air, coming to a hard and awkward landing, almost completely tumbling over.

No sooner had she touched base, did the Bandersnatch Heartless burst out of the entrance, earning a chorus of shrieks from it's former captives. The Heartless immediately began clambering up to the side of a building, eyes locked on to Kairi.

The girls fled at the appearance of the monster, moving away from the wall it perched upon, hiding behind whatever cover they could appropriate. Kairi, meanwhile, was frantically scanning her new surroundings. Yes, she was certainly better off in the wide-open space of the Sandlot, versus the confined, cramped underground, but she wasn't winning anything with her arms still bound by the thick sludge.

_There has to be something._ The redhead's eyes darted to and fro, desperately searching for a source of salvation. _Some source of water or fire or anything. Come on, come on... Give me something!_ Thankfully, the Bandersnatch had given her some reprieve, watching her intently as it's hands writhed in agitation. Seems now that it knew the Key Bearer was aware of it's weaknesses, and could still fight back, the thing was more cautious in it's approach.

Kairi's prayers were soon answered, as she continued the hectic scouring. Directly across from her position, and the far edge of the lot, was a bright yellow fire hydrant.

"Perfect!" She cheered. Now all she had to do was quickly get over to it, force it open with her Keyblade, and rinse off all this imprisoning gunk. Then, the rest would come easy.

Kairi pushed off the ground, breaking into a mad dash to the hydrant. Or, at least, that was the idea. That's what she wanted to do. But when the girl made motion to do it, she found some kind of severe resistance preventing her from moving forward.

Something was holding her back.

"What... the... hell!?" Kairi struggled to move forward, but not only was progress halted, but she felt her feet losing purchase and her body slipping backwards. Thinking their may be mook Heartless holding her back or something, Kairi turned to check on the source of the interference, and then immediately cursed herself for the prior clumsy landing.

When she touched down after leaping through the air, she had almost fallen over. But, in this case, almost was bad enough, as a tiny portion of her slimy bindings had made contact with the ground! Thin strands of black goo extended from the mass that held her body, holding tight to the smooth stone that made up the arena which dominated the Sandlot, keeping her anchored in place.

Kairi was stuck, and she feared the Heartless was becoming aware of the fact, too.

Thinking fast, Kairi stood up to full height, shifting her body around as best she could, so she could point one of her feet at the strands connecting her to the ground. "Just need to try another spell through the feet again..." She told herself, in hushed tones. "It's difficult, but I managed before, and I don't have many options right now..."

A loud squelching sound rippled through the air. Her heart sunk. The Heartless was attacking once more.

From it's vantage point, the Bandersnatch unleashed a flurry of more gluey hands, slimy claws intending to ensnare and grapple the Key Bearer of Light. Kairi was just a hair too slow, pivoting to get a better view of the attack, trying to think of a counter while pinned to the ground. Before she could respond however, the rocketing attack closed the distance between her, forcing her to forgo any sort of attack and just to dodge as best she could. Considering she was pinned to the ground, Kairi handled herself well, but just not well enough. As she forced her bonds to stretch as far as possible to avoid two snaking strands, a third one blindsided her, splashing at her feet and covering most of her right leg in thick, viscous glop, adhering her even more.

The suddenness of the impact – and the fact that one limb was now practically frozen in place – caused her to stumble and trip. Once more, she didn't fall, but it didn't matter. The sole of her left boot landed atop one of the tar puddles, and now she was wholly stuck in the web of goo.

_This is bad!_ Kairi weaved her head out of the way of another onslaught of black hands, taking advantage of what limited mobility she had left. _It's just trying to bury me under a mound of this slime before finishing me off. I certainly scared it with the Fire spell, but now it's just not taking any chances._ Normally, she would comment on how smart the Bandersnatch seemed for a Heartless, but this wasn't a normal Heartless, nor was it the time.

Desperately looking back at the fire hydrant, which now seemed like a million miles away, she saw that Olette and Fuu were cowering behind a potted plant right next to the hydrant. They both looked so frightened, fearful for her fate and for their own. Kairi could sympathize. She had been in that position. She had that same look in her eyes, before. Surrounded by monsters and horrific sights, without any agency or choice, forced to wait for a knight in shining armour to arrive and protect them. Hell, she had felt that only a few minutes ago.

_But I was wrong to feel that. No... Fear is only natural, I was wrong to let it take over me and panic._ A look of steely determination lit up in her eyes – a blazing flame of passion – as she continued to weather the assault of the Heartless. _There's no shame in being afraid, Kairi._ She told herself, eyes once again casting over to Olette and Fuu. And the hydrant. _You just need is the will to face it. Confront it. Learn from it. Grow stronger from your fears._

Kairi's first visit to Twilight Town ended with her getting kidnapped. And then getting kidnapped by a second party. This led to numerous dominoes tumbling over, chaos and anarchy being left in their wake. It led to so many things changing, for her and for others, but the memory still burned. The fear clutched at her heart at the most inopportune times. The shame ate away at her confidence, made her accomplishments seem lesser as a result. No matter how much she grew, how strong she got, Kairi was certain those feelings would always stay with her.

_Time to prove myself wrong!_

Concentrating with all her might, Kairi summoned Oathkeeper, clutching it's hilt in between her gnashing teeth.

With what little movement still afforded to her, Kairi wound her body as much as possible. _Alright, it's do or die, Kai! _The redhead uncoiled her body, releasing Oathkeeper from her mouth, and flinging it towards the hydrant. The mystical weapon tumbled through the air in a wobbling and ungainly arc, but style points didn't matter. All it had to do was reach the hydrant and briefly touch it – it just needed to graze it! – and the cap would open up, unleashing it's much needed payload. She was right in it's path, too! As soon as the water came out, Kairi would be free of her bonds.

The Keyblade settled to the ground. A foot away from the hydrant.

"Oh, give me a break!"

Kairi went to recall her weapon and try again, but soon found herself assailed by a storm of hands. This thing was more grabby than some pervert on the train!

As Kairi continued to dance in place in order to avoid the sludge (one barely grazed by her, leaving clumps clinging to her hair), she saw out of the corner of her eye Olette leave the safety of their cover, and skittishly lunge out towards Oathkeeper. _She's going for it! She realizes what I'm after! Go, Olette!_ Kairi could only hope the Bandersnatch would stay focused on her and her dodging, ignoring the brunette going for the downed Keyblade.

But nothing was going Kairi's way today, it seemed. The Heartless paused it's ceaseless fire, baleful eyes spotting Olette, who had managed to get a hand on Oathkeeper's hilt. It let out a silent, mock roar, before launching several streams of black ooze at the girl.

"Olette, watch out!" Kairi cried out, helpless to do anything else.

Olette was in a similar state, looking up at her impending doom, paralyzed in terror as the hands raced closer and closer to consuming her too...

...Until Fuu charged in, looking particularly ferocious while armed with a foam Struggle bat, swatting the slithering sludge shots out of the air.

Both Kairi and Olette sighed in relief, as Fuu gave her friend a comforting look, before the two scramble away from the open area, both standing behind the hydrant, as Olette gently – very gently – touched the Keyblade to fire hydrant.

Immediately, the magic of the weapon did it's work, causing the cap to fall off, as a torrent of water erupted out of the opening. The roaring spout easily reached Kairi, washing over her and bowling her over. She tumbled over stream and stone, banging her head on the ground, but the sweet, purifying liquid did it's job – the slimy prison that was holding her down was gone! She was free once more!

"Ah... thanks for the assist, girls!" Kairi was soaking wet, and her hair was pasted to the front of her face, but it didn't matter. Her body was sore and her head throbbed, but it didn't matter. Kairi was ready to fight and mete out some punishment, a spirited blaze alighting within her heart.

The Keyblade Wielder parted away some of her wet hair, glaring at the Heartless. "Get ready, freakshow, I'm gonna cut you down!" Kairi recalled Oathkeeper back to her hand and charged.

The Heartless once more let out a soundless hiss, launching more hands at it's mortal foe. This time, the assault proved fruitless, as Kairi conjured a curtain of lightning bolts before her, instantly frying and boiling away the slime. With her magic and her Keyblade back at full power, there was no way she would falter again.

The Bandersnatch began to crawl along the sides of the buildings that enclosed the lot, trying to find a better angle of attack. Kairi ceased her charge and began to strafe along with the Heartless, harrying with little spells. Now that she had a good eye on it, she could use the opportunity to gauge it's speed and reflexes, as the monster gravely weaved and dodged away from her flurry of water spheres.

After a few more seconds of attacking, Kairi felt like she had a good beat on the thing.

"You're pretty fast, for a gross slimy worm." Kairi began to charge her spell, forming a ball of fire at Oathkeeper's tip, and a sphere of water in the palm of her free hand, both roughly three feet in diameter. "But I know your weakness, and, unlucky for you, Fire and Water happen to be two of my faves! Let's go!"

The magic burst forth from her two orbs, as the water and flames shot forth in long, winding ribbons. The two opposing beams of elements began to twist and entwine together, forming a double helix of duality that had the Heartless dead in it's path. The Bandersnatch began to frantically and hurriedly clamber about the buildings, trying to avoid the twin spell. But, it was no use, as the helix snaked it's way to the Heartless, perfectly tracking it's movements and gaining on it, before the scalding torrent of water and the blazing stream of flame impacted with the creature, ripping into the gooey mass of it's body and hurling it into the air. Moments later, the two conflicting beams collided together, covering the Bandersnatch in a searing plume of stream.

The Heartless fell to the ground, crashing into a pathetic heap. All of the tar that covered it's mass was now peeled away, revealing that beneath the bulky, oozing form was a thin, scrawny worm-like body. With the majority of it's being rendered away, and robbed of it's main weapon and method of movement, the Bandersnatch thrashed around on the ground, completely helpless, much like it's many victims before it.

Kairi approached cautiously, on guard for any last minute trick it possessed, but still assured that victory was hers. It was funny, now that she could think and act clearly, she could see all the little details in the Heartless. The scar and the blue hair? That was Saix. The red hair? Axel all over. Grasping, clawing hands lurching at her from the dark? This thing squatting in Twilight Town and kidnapping teenaged girls? All of it was being drawn from her fears, her nightmares, her past experiences.

The dream and the test had conjured this threat from her subconscious to test and challenge her.

_I know Yen Sid said we had to overcome ourselves, that we needed to obtain self-realization, but this is about as subtle as a frying pan to the face._ Kairi examined her down foe. It was wriggling and writhing against the ground, futilely snapping it's jaws at the air. The monster could barely move, much less pose a threat.

"Well, I guess it's time to put an end to this nightmare, and move on to the next dream."

With a flair of movement, Kairi held Oathkeeper above her head, her body shining with a blazing halo of pure white energy. The energy traveled up her arms and coalesced at the Keyblade, bursting into the form of a shining sword blade, almost as tall as her entire body.

**[_RADIANT FINISH: Holyga Full Calibur!_]**

The redheaded warrior Princess wheeled her weapon around, arcing it repeatedly over her head, before tracing along the ground, unleashing a wave of light energy that zoomed to the fallen Heartless. The crescent scored into the foul flesh of the best, inflicting a smoking scar, and buffeting it into the air, where it was somehow ever more helpless. Kairi followed up with a series of quick, graceful slashes with her oversized sword, unleashing more waves of shining light that sought out the Heartless from all angles, gliding through the orange-tinted sky and slashing through the Bandersnatch with ease, slicing the monster into nearly a dozen pieces.

The remains of the Heartless quickly burst into puffs of black miasma, finally putting an end to it's reign of terror over the sleepy burgh.

Kairi sighed one last time, dismissing her Keyblade, extremely grateful that this incident was all over.

The girls all came out of their hiding spots and mobbed their saviour, their hero, raining down praise and thanks for what she had done. Some of them broke down into tears, which was more then understandable, considering what they had been through. Kairi weathered the storm of adulation as best she could, side-eyeing Olette and Fuujin at the edge of of the other girls, revealing her flustered embarrassment to the two. The Key Bearer never did this for any sort of reward and praise, she certainly didn't rescue them for any such treasure, she just happened to be the right person arriving at the right time.

At least everyone was safe now. That was the important thing.

**-D/D/D-**

Kairi eventually broke away from the throng to pull out her Mog-phone, dialing the police.

That led to it's own set of hoops to jump through, as numerous cop cars swarmed the Sandlot, followed by a small fleet of paramedics, the girls' parents, reporters and camera teams, and just various bystanders attracted by the commotion.

With her work done, Kairi really just wanted to slip away and let the girls have their peace and be reunited with their loved ones – maybe share a few words with Olette and Fuu if she could – while she moved on to other things, but she once more ended up getting mobbed. The police wanted to take an official statement from her. The parents and family members wanted to shower her with more praise (had no one heard that a hero's job was it's own reward?). The reporters all wanted a few soundbites, or, heaven forbid, a full interview. Kairi could only imagine the scoop one of these stations or papers or sites would get from having an interview with one of the elusive Keyblade Warriors.

After well over an hour of dealing with this circus, Kairi was finally able to slip away during a conversation with Olette's father (the brunette girl was able to convince him that Kairi had better things to do, and had to get going).

_Thank you Olette!_

Deciding to treat herself, as she spirited away from the commotion, Kairi grabbed an ice cream bar – berries and cream! No shade towards to all the sea-salt lovers, she just liked this one better – and took a seat on a park bench in a much (much much) quieter part of town. The sweet treat was a wonderful balm for the girl after the horror show of a day she just went through. Watching the sunset as she nibbled on her ice cream, the events and emotions of today replayed in Kairi's mind.

"I suppose I still have a ways to go, don't I?" She mumbled through a mouth full of half-chewed frozen dessert. Feeling fear in of itself wasn't the issue. It was her panic. Her freezing in the moment. Considering how she had handled the Bandersnatch, how she pushed herself and adapted to the challenge, the dread within her was the hurdle she truly had to surmount, not the Heartless.

_Sora and Riku would never let this happen to them. They have so much confidence in their abilities. They've seen it all, done it all. As of now, the two of them are still standing so far ahead of me. I've got a lot of work to do to get to their level._

"But... on the other hand, even if I do have a way to go, still, it doesn't mean I haven't already come a long way over the past two years."

But it wasn't only that, Kairi realized, as she leaned back and enjoyed the scenic vistas spread out before her. Thinking back to all the friends and memories she had made in Town. How wonderful this place was.

So why was she letting one bad experience overshadow everything else?

That was the source of all the turbulence and terror today, the day she got kidnapped during her first visit. Because she had let that day loom large in her heart, it gave birth to the Bandersnatch within this constructed world. The shame and humiliation and fear.

_But I'm wrong to still feel ashamed over what happened. Just like I'm wrong to feel shame for the fear I felt today. That was two years ago. I'm not the same person that I was then._ Kairi would like to think she was a better version of her former self. That she had a better life compared to that day. _All I need to do is keep moving forward, to stop dwelling within the shadow of my past. There's no reason for me to feel uncomfortable in Twilight Town anymore, and there's no reason to let these fears take hold of me, time and time again._

A shimmering Keyhole began to form in the air, signaling that it was time for her to go.

Maybe Kairi hadn't quite conquered her dread, her habit of freezing because of it, but at least she was aware of the problem, and could tackle it at a later date. It was one small step towards something bigger, just like what she would tell herself way back when her journey first began.

Quickly finishing her ice cream, Kairi check the stick, only to see the words "SORRY. PLEASE TRY AGAIN" emblazoned across the wood.

"I never win at this anyways," she said, discarding the stick in a garbage bin, before summoning Oathkeeper.

She leveled the Keyblade towards the Keyhole, light sparking at it's tip.

"Well, boys, you better not be slacking off, because I'm already one world down, two to go! Let's go!"

Waves of light began to emanate from the Keyhole, bathing Kairi's body in the warm, golden energy, as her Keyblade fired it's beam into the deep recesses of the opening. In one bright burst of light, Kairi felt herself pulled deeper into the dream.

* * *

**Combat Log Entry #001 – Kairi The Key Bearer**

Kairi Shiratori  
Job Class: Key Bearer – Holy Knight  
Weapon: The Keyblade, Oathkeeper  
Elemental Affinities: Water, Wind, Fire, Light

(Scale of Very High, High, Above Average, Average, Below Average, Low, Very Low)  
Offensive Capability: Above Average  
Defensive Capability: High  
Support Capability: High

(Scale of 1-10)  
Power: 7/10  
Agility: 8/10  
Stamina: 6/10  
Magic: 8/10  
Technique: 8/10  
Intelligence: 8/10  
Teamwork: 9/10

**Strengths**

-Her innate light grants her numerous abilities, from protection against the darkness, boosting her magic, restoring damages or corrupted pieces of a heart, and powerful attacks against beings of entropic energy.

-Her drive and dedication has forged a fighting style that perfectly blends her strength, speed, magic, and well-learned combat techniques, allowing her to contest against most any foe.

-Is both highly focused and perceptive in combat, able to make quick judgments and analysis of her enemies, their powers, and whatever terrain she is in.

**Weaknesses**

-She still has not mastered her light, as continued use burns through her stamina very quickly.

-Is the least experienced in terms of active combat, and as such, lacks confidence in herself and her abilities at times. Also, lacks hand-to-hand combat training.

-Can be too easily driven by her emotions, losing sight of what maters in the moment, and being easy to bait and rattle.

* * *

_And so Kairi stands against the fear and anxiety lying within her heart, pushing passed it, and completing the first leg of her test._

_-While I normally have mixed feelings on the stuff I produced – or, rather, I go back and forth on liking what I have made and being dissatisfied – but I am very very happy with how this chapter came together. From the design of the Heartless, to the fight itself, to how Kairi deals with her own inner demons, and how she manages to struggle against the Heartless. This is probably the overall happiest I have been with a chapter in quite a long time._

_-Also, this serves as an interesting companion piece to She Will Light The Way (shameless plug), sort of a teaser as to how much Kairi has grown... and how much further she still has to go. I usually go with self-doubt as Kairi's biggest flaw, and it seems, even after all she has been through in this reality, she still has a ways to go before she can completely overcome her greatest flaw._

_-And just as a point of reference, time moves weird within the Constructed Worlds, so just because Kairi finished her task in a few hours, where Sora and Riku are taking a day (or more) to finish theirs, doesn't mean Kairi is that far ahead of the boys. Within the Constructed World, time is accelerated versus the real world, but the test is designed so that all three must either pass or fail a segment of the exam before they all move on to the next part._

_Beyond that, tell me what you all thought of Kairi finishing up her first test, and what lies for her further ahead. Or, what will Sora and Riku have to do to pass also. Offer your comments and criticism freely, share the story around, and drop some favourites or follows if you're so inclined. It would absolutely make my day for that to happen._

_Until next time, keep moving forward on your own journey, dear traveler._

* * *

**A Post-Mortem for Kairi in Kingdom Hearts III****  
So, as many of you probably know, the reason I got back into writing was because of my... less than positive feelings towards Kingdom Hearts III. And a plurality of my hatred for that game, a well as probably it's most controversial moment, is it's treatment of Kairi. I would hazard a guess that a good portion – if not an outright majority – of the fanbase was upset or disappointed with her treatment, her arc getting mangled, and her getting stuffed in the fridge with prejudice. But, still, you will see attempts at justification for the narrative choices regarding her. "Her training as inefficient". "They only brought her along because they were desperate". "She may not be strong of body, but she is strong of heart". And, in my opinion, those are all incredibly flimsy excuses.**

"**Her training as inefficient" - She was stuck in the equivalent of the Hyperbolic Time Chamber. Any amount of time could have passed for her, allowing the narrative to justify whatever level of strength she would have.**

"**They only brought her along because they were desperate" - They clearly weren't desperate enough then, seeing as how they only brought nine people. Seeing as how Yen Sid only shows up in the second go around. Seeing as how they have an entire legion of allies they could call upon.**

"**She may not be strong of body, but she is strong of heart" - Kairi has always been strong of heart, that's not new information. She's always been the one to bring Sora back to the light. She already did that in I and II. We shouldn't accept characters doing the same thing over and over again without any change or growth. That's lazy writing.**

**And I also see people try and brush it aside by saying we'll get a Kairi-focused DLC or a Kairi-centric sidegame. First, I question what people are seeing that they believe they would ever give Kairi that level of focus. Second, that doesn't change anything. It doesn't erase what happened to her in III. It's the bare minimum amount of effort applied after screwing things up. You don't get a cookie for correcting a mistake you yourself made, alright? I don't want to be mean or insulting, but why is this acceptable?**

**But, beyond all that, the real issue at the heart of the matter is that Kingdom Hearts III Kairi is dull. She's boring. She's a nothing of a character! And, I know despite loving the character, she was never all that deep or interesting, but there was something there in I and II! She was playful and mischievous, spirited and strong-willed. She had passion and resolve. In III, she just stands about passively and smiles pleasantly, the archetypal standard of the neutral female. When Terranort goes on his OP BS Hero killing spree, she just stands about and waits for Sora to protect her! Doesn't even try to defend herself! The same girl who, in II, dove into a horde of Shadows, unarmed, to try and come to Sora's aid! The same character! It's...horrible. It's regressive. It's anti-development. It's bad writing. How can people defend that?**

**And, the only reason I can come up with as to why Kairi eats so much crow throughout III – moreso than she ever has before – is that because no one in development or creative cares about her. They could have done a million things with her, but they chose to do nothing. Less than nothing. They had the perfect opportunity to give her one shining moment – just one! All she needed was one, the bare minimum - but instead, all she is to the creative team is a damsel, a MacGuffin, a way to give Sora motivation, and a token love interest. They don't care. It's the only explanation.**

**And no amount of fanfiction or art or anything will change this. And it's disheartening, because clearly so many fans care about this character – me included – but the people actually in charge of her don't, and I don't know if I can continue on with the franchise beyond this point. If this is how they are going to use their characters, if this is how they are going to tell their narrative, I don't know.**

**It's unfair. It's frustrating. It's garbage. It's Square-Enix. It's Tetsuya Nomura.**


	8. Shouldering The Burden

**DDD  
The Dreamers, The Destroyer, and The Departed  
Chapter Eight  
Shouldering The Burden**

"Sora, watch it! On your left!"

"I see it, I see it! I'm going in, just cover my back, 'kay?"

"No! Just hold where you are, I can deal with them."

Sora battered away the few Heartless that he was facing, and then turned sharply to his left, dashing towards another horde of the monsters. Standing to his back, mopping up more of the blasted fiends, were both Tifa, as well as one Squall "Leon" Leonhart, another of Sora's old companions, with Tifa trying in vain to break forward and overtake Sora, to give him a hand. But, Sora would not heed her warnings or wait for either warrior to catch up. The Key Bearer dove to the ground, sliding against the earth like he was coming in to home plate, before rising up behind the lines of the Heartless, cutting them down with speed and ease...

...Before barely dodging a flurry of spellfire. An attack launched from the group of Heartless Sora had split away from to deal with this current one.

Not to be deterred by the blindside, Sora reared back and went to charge back in, only for Tifa to come crashing down from on high, pulverizing one of the Heartless with a gloved fist. The remaining demons tried to pile on and swallow the woman, only for her to quickly respond with a wicked fast spinning heel kick, demolishing more of the darklings and blowing back some of the others.

Sora actually paused, standing aside passively, and watched on in marvel as Tifa finished the remaining Heartless with her hands, feet, elbows, and knees. A flurry of strikes that obliterated anything in their path. No one fought like Tifa did. Even Riku, who liked to mix in his swordplay with unarmed strikes. Her power, her grace, her precision, and the fact that she was doing it with just her bare hands.

_Tifa is just incredible..._

In short order, Tifa and Leon finished off the remaining interlopers, before the three heroes gathered up back together, Tifa walking up to Sora with a annoyed look on her face.

"Sora, I told you just to stay put. You almost got blasted back there." Tifa chided him. Sora's response was just to smile, taking his classic stance, holding his hands behind his head.

"Yeah. 'Almost'." Sora joked, even if the demeanour of the brawler suggested she wasn't in the mood. "It all worked out in the end, Tifa. No need to worry about me so much."

"That doesn't change the fact you promised you wouldn't overdo it." Tifa said. "That you promised me you would listen."

Once more, Sora just smiled and shook his head, dismissing Tifa's concerns and offering excuses and apologies. At the end of it, the raven-haired woman sighed in defeat and looked over her shoulder at Leon's direction, looking for some assistance, but both his facial expressions and body language screamed "Don't drag me into this".

The trio had left in the early hours of the morning to go Heartless hunting, and, true to Tifa and Leon's reports, the area outside the city was swarming with them. As they traversed the rocky paths carved into the cliffside overlooking the great Gardenian Ocean, Sora, Leon, and Tifa could not find themselves a half hour of peace, not before more Heartless spawn in to assail them. But, even with the frequency and the numbers on their side, the sinister shadows fell all the same.

"In all seriousness, with the way you guys were talking about it, I was expecting a little bit more of a challenge." Sora could tell that, even if these Heartless weren't too much a threat, they were stronger than the garden variety of Heartless he would face if he were on the actual Radiant Garden, and not within the dream.

"That's because these aren't the real issue." Leon explained, gruffly, while stowing away his gunblade. The scarred man took out a pair of binoculars, using them to scan the horizon on the winding path before them, eventually settling on a gulch at the bottom of the trail. "The one that we're hunting has always been spotted near the canyon." Looking back to Sora, Leon said, "You remember, right? Near where you fought that giant swarm of Heartless, two years ago."

The Key Bearer nodded along. Of course he remembered. Not only was that a day full of vicious fighting for the boy, it was also the day of one of his most shameful memories. When he gave up, surrendered himself to the Organization, capitulated to their demands in exchange for Kairi. The guilt burned up inside of him, as Sora screwed up his face in self-disgust, balling his right hand into a fist.

During all this, Leon continued to scout the landscape and continued to speak.

"But the real problem is, all the reports suggest that this Heartless is extremely humanoid in appearance."

That quickly got Sora's attention. For whatever reason, it was typical that the strongest of the Heartless – both the Purebloods and the Emblem breeds – always closely resembled humans, in body structure if not appearance. After all, the strongest Heartless Sora or any of his allies had faced had not only retained his appearance from life, but also his sentience and intelligence.

Whatever this thing was, it was bad news. Far beyond the garden variety Heartless found on any world during this time of peace.

Despite this – or maybe, in spite of this – Sora's adventurous spirit was not diminished or deterred.

_A Heartless that strong, it might even be the thing I'm looking for. Perfect!_

"Well then, what are we waiting for you two?" The brunet declared, oddly cheerfully, as he pointed further down the path. "Let's get rolling and finish this thing off, ASAP!" Sora then rushed forward, running headlong at full speed, leaving Tifa and Leon in his wake.

"Sora, don't go ahead of us!" Tifa called out, almost sounding like a mother trying to reign in their wayward child. Both she and Leon made their pursuit, but found the younger, sprier Sora was putting quite the distance between them.

"Far be it from me to butt in to your personal business, Tifa," Leon began, as even Tifa began to pull away from him, taking powerful strides on her long, muscular legs, "But has something happened between you two? You've been awfully protective of him all morning."

Tifa sighed once more, but kept her eyes on the path ahead of her. For a brief moment, it looked like Sora had vanished from view, causing her heart to skip a beat, but he soon reappeared from around a bend along the cliff wall.

"It's just I'm worried about Sora overdoing himself. Just yesterday alone, he spent hours running all over the city helping Cid and Aerith and Cloud with their errands. Not to mention all the things he's done for us in the past." Tifa shook her head, long black locks flying wildly. "And yet he still goes about and tries to lend a hand with every little thing, no matter the inconvenience to himself."

Silence fell, as Leon took the time to consider Tifa's words and feelings. Standoffish and emotionally closed-off though he may be, Leon had certainly grow into a true leader among the warriors of the Radiant Garden. "I understand what you're getting at, Tifa – and trust me, no one knows how much Sora has done for us in the past three years better than me – if he wants to help, we aren't in much of position to refuse." Another pause, more silence, save for the footfalls of the pair. "Why are you so deadset against Sora lending a hand, anyway?"

"I have my reasons, Leon..." Tifa said, cryptically. "I guess... I'm just afraid of what happens if Sora ends up breaking."

"And what if this constant badgering just pushes him away?"

Tifa only laughed bitterly at the comment. "I've been living with guilt for years. Of keeping my feelings bottled up inside, of not telling Cloud what I felt and what was actually happening, until it was too late. Until he up and left. Vanished from our lives for years." A hard scowl formed on the face of the raven-haired martial artist, as she relived a series of painful memories. As she remember the boy Cloud Strife used to be, that image held in relief versus Sora. "I'm either saying too little or too much. There's no middle ground, is there?"

Leon grimaced, looking a touch ashamed. "I didn't mean it like that, Tifa." He apologized with due sincerity.

"No. I know, Leon. It's just... Let's just catch up with Sora from here, and we'll deal with it when we deal with it."

**-D/D/D-**

Sora took a moment to catch his breath from his impromptu run, holding himself in his arms due to a sudden chilling breeze, but his soul feeling invigorated and charged up by the scent of sea water and salt linger in the air regardless. He had reached the nadir of the path, in record time, leaving both of his companion far in the dust, so he chose to throw them a bone, while waiting at the bottom of the trail for them to catch up.

_Man, why is Tifa giving such a hard time?_ Sora thought, idly, while surveying the scenery, examining just where he needed to go next. The choppy sea waters rose up into waves, crashing against the rocky shoreline below the trail, as the pass continued to wind it's way around the cliff side. Just barely visible from the young Keyblade Wielder's vantage point, he could make out where the pass snaked it's way around the the final edge of the cliff, leading to a more open – but still very rocky field – an no doubt to the canyon beyond it. _I'm just helping out. It's not like this is too exhausting, or I'm getting hurt or anything..._ Furthermore, directly to Sora's left, there was a cavern ingress carved into the stony wall to the side; a crooked, uneven rocky passageway that was riddled with small pools and tidehollows, that seemed to go one forever, probably cutting through the entirety of the mountain.

Sora shivered and shook, rubbing his upper arms with a hand to fight off the chill. It must have been the wind coming off the water, he imagined it was much colder than the tropical ocean back home.

In all honesty, Sora was rather prickled and annoyed with how his friend was acting. How she was treating him. Like he was some sort of liability in all of this. Who cared if he did a little too much? Or got a little scraped up in the process? Time and time again, Sora had taken the weight of the world onto his shoulders and had pulled through. Hell, Radiant Garden was probably the greatest example of that sort of effort. Back when it was Hollow Bastion, he raided the castle without his Keyblade, bested both Maleficent and Riku, sacrificed himself to free Kairi's heart. Then he had battled and bested Demyx and fought the army of a thousand Heartless.

_Tifa's working herself up over nothing. All that stuff, it's all in a day's work._ A very proud part of Sora thought, reflecting on his triumphs.

_And right after all that, the Organization pushed you into a corner. They twisted your arm behind your back, forcing you to give yourself up to Kairi..._ A very dark and dour part of Sora thought, reflecting on his failures. _You put it all on yourself in that moment, and everyone would have suffered, if it weren't for Kairi stepping up..._

Suddenly, the air seemed to grow even more brisk, as an intense pain shot through Sora's body, as if his heart was being entrapped in the jaws of a vice. He took a couple breaths to steady himself, to try and push the pain away, but Sora could not find the relief he was seeking. What was this? Was this just all the pent up guilt for his failures finally surfacing? The Key Bearer staggered over to the cliff wall, to find a bit of purchase to relax against, to try and put some of the pressure off his being.

And, while doing that, out of the corner of his eye, Sora saw it.

Standing at the point where the plateau transitioned back into the pass, blocking any further advance, was a figure clad in the black cloak that Sora had seen all too much of in his life (Sora had more than his fill of the attire of the Organization, and felt his heart and stomach twist at the sight of it), with a hazing nimbus of wispy shadows emanating from it's body. But, despite it's familiar appearance, Sora could tell it wasn't just an Organization member (not that there shouldn't by anymore Organization members...), but something even more monstrous. In place of gloves, the hands took the form of twisted, gnarled claws. And while the hood was up, obscuring it's face, but not the entirety of it, as two piercing yellow eyes peered out from the void.

"So, I take it you're the thing that's been causing all the problems, huh?" Sora huffed, his breathing still laboured, but his spirit was still fired up. If there was one thing in this world he knew how to do, it was deal with Heartless. Kingdom Key sprang into existence in his right hand. "Thanks for showing up and saving me the trouble of finding you!"

Pushing himself off the wall, and still doing his best to ignore the pain that had flared up in his heart, Sora charged at the offending Heartless, his Keyblade held aloft and at the ready, prepared to both attack and defend. He may have gotten distracted and blindsided in the last skirmish, but one-on-one? This Heartless stood no chance.

Sora fully expected his enemy to rear back, to attempt to dodge or teleport, or to lash forward and attack, and he trusted his instincts to counter any or all of those expectations. Instead, the Heartless stood it's ground, and slowly began to raise it's right arm, a clawed index finger pointed at the young brunet. The energy around the wicked being began to surge and pulse even more, as Sora drew closer and closer. With the distance covered, Sora took his Keyblade in both hands and swung in a horizontal arc.

But the weapon never even had a chance to strike it's target.

For whatever reason, with it's arm now fully extended, the mysterious halo abounding the being coursing furiously, and Sora in mid-attack, he ended up looking directly into the malignant yellow eyes of the thing. In that moment of crystallized time, Sora didn't see a random Heartless inhabiting the form of a being in a black cloak, but he could see the snide, cruel, gloating visage of Saix.

Saix as he accept Sora's offer, and took him hostage.

Saix as he coldly tossed Kairi into the void, seemingly sentencing her to death.

Saix the monster. The nightmare. Something that had been slain and could not longer hurt Sora or his friends, but was still a shadow that haunted the darkest corners of his heart and mind.

Sora's assault came to a dead stop, as he fell to his knees and one hand, the other clutching at his heart. The pain that was afflicting him surged even harder and stronger than before, wracking not only his heart and his metaphysical being, but almost every muscle in his body. Kingdom Key had fallen from his grasp, clattering to the ground and vanishing, leaving the Master in training prone and helpless.

The Heartless swept it's hands in a slow, lazy arc, pushing Sora away with some kind of invisible force. The defenseless Key Bearer tumbled along the ground, away from the cliff wall, and towards the edge of the road, half of his body dangling precariously off of the edge. But even with the apparent danger, Sora was still not in any position to react or recover, disabled by the fiery pangs of pain radiating from his heart.

_What is this?_ He thought in panic. _What is happening?_ He had never faced an opponent like this who could just cripple him with a simple gesture. Who seemingly had a direct line to his heart.

Sora forced himself to look up, his legs still hanging off the brink, to see that the Heartless was slowly gliding towards him like a phantom. Furthermore, it's appearance kept flickering between the anomalous wraith garbed in black to the fearsome form of Saix.

Staring at the transfiguring image caused Sora to feel light headed, the world spinning around him, as if he didn't have enough problems already...

With desperate effort, Sora tried with all the might he could muster to pull himself back onto the cliff and try and face this thing on even ground. But the boy only managed to get purchase with one foot, before the pain struck him again. Sora spasmed wildly on the ground, almost rolling off into the ocean in his wild thrashing, as the Heartless steadily approached him all the while...

"Sora!"

A fireball raced towards the fiend, crashing into it in a shower of sparks. This finally caused the Heartless to halt it's advance, as it flinched and reared back, before gliding full retreat, as Leon literally leaped onto the scene, slashing at the phantasm with the revolver gunblade. The ethereal cloak easily danced around the attacks, but it seemed to have no answer or counter against Leon, for whatever reason not doing what it had done to Sora and striking at the warrior's heart.

Finally, seemingly with the Heartless occupied, the sensation of pain began to leave Sora's body, slowly ebbing away, replacing the searing stabbing sensation with a dull ache. He began to pull himself up the cliff and back onto solid ground, when he felt something take hold of his wrist and forcibly pull him to safety: Tifa Lockhart effortlessly grabbing and lifting the Key Bearer, gently setting him on the ground. The raven-haired brawler then struck a fighting stance, but made no move to join the fray, instead standing protectively over Sora while keeping her eyes on the clash between Leon and the Heartless.

The fight only lasted a little while longer, with the veteran warrior holding the demon at bay with his constant assault, but the Heartless slipping away from the attacks, refusing to be stuck or struck. Before long, the phantom's entire being twisted and compressed into the form of a shadow ball, which quickly zipped away, up and over the mountain.

The chill in the air abated, as Sora finally found it in himself to breath, both Leon and Tifa looking incredibly relieved that the danger had seemingly passed.

"And that would be what we're hunting." Leon declared, still standing on guard, just in case a surprise attack was to come.

"Thanks guys..." Sora said in between ragged, shallow breaths. He had shifted to a sitting position, with Tifa putting a comforting, guarding hand on his shoulder. Sora was happy for the contact, but his heart also skipped a beat because of who it was who was touching him. "That thing got the jump on me... Not gonna happen again."

"What happened here, Sora?" Tifa asked out of concern, but Sora could sense just a bit of disappointment and irritation behind the worry.

Quickly, Sora explained to Tifa and Leon how the thing in the cloak had snuck up on him, and seemingly did something to his heart to cause such intense, debilitating pain. He had deliberately left out the part about the thing seemingly taking on the form of Saix, because even Sora himself wasn't sure what that was about, or if it even actually happened. Between the agony in his heart and the lightheaded feeling, he wasn't sure if that was real or not, or some kind of hallucination.

Both Gardenians stayed quiet during the short tale, before sharing a look with each other, seemingly understanding the thoughts of the other from just their eyes. Leon nodded at Tifa, as if to give her some solidarity in what she was about to say.

"Okay, if that's the case, Leon and I will continue you and take care of that thing." Tifa said, before turning her attention to Sora. "But I want you to turn back and return to the city. This has gotten a little too dangerous, and I can't let you continue with us, Sora."

The Keyblade Wielder did not take the advice very well.

"What? No, Tifa, I can't let you guys fight that on your own."

"And I can't let you fight that thing period, Sora." Tifa returned. "Somehow, it did something to you. It was able to attack your heart. Not to mention it didn't do that to Leon for some reason." Tifa shut her eyes, crossing her arms over her stomach, a stern expression overtaking her. "No. I just don't like this at all." Once more, the martial artist placed a hand on Sora's shoulder, but it was received much less warmly than before. "Please go back, Sora. You promised me that -"

"Tifa!" Sora stood up, brushing Tifa's hand away, looking in disbelief at what she was hearing. "There's no way I'm turning back now! I came here to help you guys, so I'm gonna see it through!"

Tifa's lips curled at the edge, as she was once more looked towards Leon, who, once more, offered no help. Still, despite all of her annoyances, Tifa tried to remain calm and diplomatic about things. "Sora." She started, speaking both slowly and steadily. "You promised me that if I asked you to go back, you would. I know you don't want to, but it's for your own good, trust me."

"Why are you doing this, Tifa?" Sora asked. He had been asking himself this question since the previous night, unable to grasp or understand the woman's motivation. "What's wrong? With me? Do you really think I'm overdoing it? That I'm being a burden to you guys?"

Tifa closed her eyes again, taking a centering breath. "Sora, like I said, I'm just afraid of you doing too much too fast. Of you breaking down." Sora went to protest the point again, but stopped when Tifa held a hand up, silently asking for a chance to finish. "I know you don't think that's what will happen, that you're the Keyblade Master and you feel invincible, that you can do anything, but I've seen it happen before." Tifa's eyes softened considerably, as she took in all of Sora, both his appearance, his heart, and his past actions. "There's something very special within you, and I don't want you to lose that, too."

In the face of Tifa's gaze and words, Sora cleared his throat uncomfortably. "Well, even if that is how it feels, it's just one Heartless. I just got careless. I'll be more careful next time."

"Yes, Sora, exactly. It's one Heartless. Leon and I can take care of one Heartless." Despite the previous confession, Tifa's patience was wearing thin, she was getting more and more exasperated with Sora and his stubbornness. "You don't have to do everything for everyone each and every time! You have us and the others on the Garden. You have Riku and Kairi. Aqua and the King. We can help and fight and work, too. You don't have to be the hero all the time. You can rest, Sora. You can rest and rely on us."

Under the hail of his friend's words and insistence, Sora began to waver and diminish. He absolutely did not want to just turn tail and run; Sora the Keyblade Master never gave up, never turned away from a challenge, no matter how daunting it might be...

But, at the same time, he didn't want to bicker more with Tifa. To waste more time just standing around and talking when he could be doing something. Helping his friends, or seeking down this corruption.

And even beyond that, Tifa had struck a very sore nerve, saying he didn't have to be the hero all the time.

_But I do. I have to be the hero. I have to work the hardest and be the toughest. I'm not special like the others, so I have to do what I can to keep up._

"Tifa..." Sora began in a soft voice, choosing his words carefully. "I am starting to get at what you're feeling right now." The way she spoke, Sora could gather Tifa had experienced something like this before. "But I want to continue. I won't run ahead of you guys, but I'm not going to back. I want to fight. I always want to fight."

Sora thought that his choice of words and tone of voice would be the ticket to settle this dispute. That this was a proper compromise the two could agree upon.

Tifa's immediate shift in body language to something more concerning and controlling proved Sora wrong.

"Absolutely not. You're going back to the city, Sora, and that's final. It's for your own good."

The Key Bearer gnashed his teeth together in response to the steely denial, but he had expected this. Tifa was strong-willed, he knew that, it was a trait of hers he usually deeply admired. But now that he was on the other side of it, it was just aggravating.

Also taking a deep breath to cool his emotions – even in the heat of things, Sora didn't want to say something improper to damage their friendship – Sora continued back on the path. Not the way back to the capital, but the road deeper in, the road that lead to the canyons. "Well, then, I guess this is where we say 'goodbye' for now." Sora said, coolly. "I'll see you guys later on 'kay?"

Tifa only shook her head in confusion. "Sora, where do you think you're going?"

Walking backwards now, Sora turned to address his friend. "Well, you obviously won't let me continue with you two, and if that's the case, I'll go on my own and prove to you I can handle this." He then ceased his movement and watched Tifa, watching her response and for her next move. The curl at the edge of her lips had turned into a full frown, the woman's frustration and disappointment now on full display.

Tifa took one step towards Sora, causing the brunet to take two quick steps backwards, to which Tifa sighed deeply, in a clearly annoyed tone.

"Sora... I know you're upset at me, but I'm only doing this for your own good." The martial artist extended a hand towards Sora, a gesture that was all too recognizable to the boy. "Please. Just come back." Tifa pleaded with him, her voice soft yet earnest. "I don't care if you hate me because of this, I can't let you hurt yourself..."

Sora was torn. He wanted nothing more than to press on and prove himself – prove to everything – and get even with this Heartless. That no one needed to worry about him. That he was the same old reliable Sora as always. But then their was Tifa's heartfelt appeals. The pleas of a friend, of someone he loved and admired. She was just being overly cautious about him, looking out for his well being, making sure Sora didn't hurt himself. And Sora didn't want to hurt Tifa with his actions either.

A dull ache crossed into his heart, a pain not as intense as the attack from earlier. But, at the same time, it was even more pronounced and unsettling. Guilt. Shame. Anger. Frustration. Fear.

Finally, with his eyes cast down, averting the wine-red irises of Tifa Lockhart, Sora spoke while summoning his Keyblade. "...I'm sorry, Tifa." Sora tapped the tip of his weapon on the ground, as golden spell seal flared into life on the ground, taking the shape of a clock. "But I have to do this. I _need_ to do this." A golden aura consumed Sora's form, as his figure began to blur and oscillate, the Haste spell taking full effect. "And you're not going to stop me. Sorry."

Moving faster than fast, at speed surpassing motion, Sora blindly charged forward down the path, ignoring both Tifa and Leon as they shouted his name behind him.

"Sora! Sora! SORA!"

Sora ran.

Sora ran away.

From his friends. And, futilely, from his own guilty emotions that ate away at his heart.

With his magically enhanced speed and agility, it didn't take long for the hastened Key Bearer to finish his way through the winding path, through and pass the gulch, and to the area beyond. Sora's heart welled up in his throat as he reached his destination, as the effects of his speed enchantment wore off and he realized just where in Radiant Garden he had ended up: the expansive, stony plain where he had cut a deal with Saix.

Where had made that deal. His freedom for Kairi's.

Maybe if Sora was a little more aware of his situation, a tiny bit more cognizant of just what kind of world he was in, he would have realized here and now that this was all within the nature of the test he was participating in. Challenging him with his fears and doubts and insecurities, leaving the deepest scars on his heart bared to himself and the world. But Sora was too consumed by the heady turmoil that roiled through his mind at the moment to be in the right frame mind for such thoughts.

_Man, I am such an idiot sometimes... Why did I have to come here of all places?_

It wasn't as if the effects of the deal were all bad. Hell, most of them were good, in the long run. The Organization was still defeated. Kairi became stronger, as a fighter and a person, and Sora couldn't possibly be prouder of what she accomplished. The two of them and Riku were finally reunited, the three childhood friends finally returning home. In reality, Sora's deal with Saix was just a dark middle chapter in a story with a happy ending.

But...

_This is where I gave up. Where I gave in to weakness. I sacrificed myself, and Kairi almost got hurt. Or worse. I was a prisoner while Kairi and Riku did all the fighting. Struggling and losing and suffering. I did that to them. I was suppose to be the hero, and yet I couldn't handle it._

More pangs of icy guilt echoed through his heart.

_I put that burden on their shoulders._

The guilt soon gave way to intense, crushing agony. His heart was locked within the vice again.

_Kairi was afraid. Riku was lost. Namine was fading away. Roxas was already gone. And where was I? Where was the Keyblade Master?_

Gritting his teeth, Sora summoned Kingdom Key once more. "Come on out and show yourself!" He challenged the phantom he knew was about somewhere. "I'm sick and tired of arguing with friends and feeling bad about myself. Let's settle this and then I can put this whole day behind me."

The pain coursing through his being was vivid and sharp, spreading from the core of his heart out to his chest and limbs. Every breath, every little movement, brought on a wave of burning and discomfort, but Sora pushed through regardless. It wasn't the first time he had to fight through pain, both physical and heartache, and it probably wouldn't be the last.

In the blink of an eye, the phantasm appeared once more, standing before Sora, occupying space that was empty only a split second ago. It's umbra of wicked energy surge once, causing the pain in Sora's body to flare up in time, but the Key Bearer pushed through and went on the offensive again, charging forward and unleash a flurry of Fire and Thunder spells. But, just as when it matched up with Leon, the Heartless proved to be very agile, effortlessly dodging Sora's attacks and flitting about, it's movements so fast, so sudden, it was seemingly impossible to get a beat on it.

Sora went to unleash a gust of air from his Keyblade, but he momentarily staggered, his breath hitching in his throat, the Aero spell vanishing into the ether. _I'm not going to last long like this._ A series of Blizzard spells throttled through the air, clattering against the ground, as the cloak slipped past the crystals, just as it had with every other attack. _I gotta push through and finish this in a hurry!_

Fortunately, pain or no pain, dream or no dream, doubt or no doubt, Sora had years of experience to back him up. His mana welling up inside of him, Sora engraved a circular spell seal in the sky above him. "Just try and dodge this! Thunder Cloudburst!"

With a loud crack of thunder that reverberated through the plain, searing lightning bolts rained down from the perimeter of the seal, as the seal itself began to grow and rotate, an expanding curtain of electricity that scorched the earth underneath and fried everything in it's path. The storm grew and grew, covering dozens of feet beyond it's point of origin above Sora, who was certain this was the trick. If it didn't finish the Heartless off, he certain he had hit it. There was no escape from the wall of lightning.

When the electric storm finally subsided, leaving only blast marks and the heavy stench of ozone, Sora quickly and frantically scanned the area for any sign of the Heartless, only to find that he was the only soul in the area.

No, that wasn't right. The twisted pain nestled in his heart still burned and ached. The Heartless was still around. Somewhere nearby. His concentration and energy was waning, but Sora tried to keep his attention and guard up. It had somehow avoided that big spell. This thing was relentless, and could strike anywhere.

_It's like I can't even touch this thing._ Sora thought, keeping himself in a fighting stance. _Like this thing is designed to counter me. Like I'm not meant to beat it!_

And in that moment, Sora found the realization he was suppose to seek on this quest.

Unfortunately, it came a few moments too late.

Feeling the grim presence of the shadow behind him, the agony rooted within Sora bloomed once more, causing the boy to scream and cry out. With his defence broken, the Key Bearer was once more swept away by the same unknown, invisible force as before. Sora tumbled across the ground, Kingdom Key slipping from his grip, but barely felt the impact against the solid earth, as the pain rippling and ripping from within absolutely overshadowed it.

Still, Sora managed to pick himself up from the fall, standing up in a hunched position, to once more face his foe. However, Sora's eyes didn't just fall upon the cloaked phantom, as once more, it's formed flickered between it's standard, unknown persona, and that of Saix. And, once more, for whatever reason, just looking at the approximation of the scarred Nobody caused Sora's vision to blur and his head to ache and spin.

Sora tried to take a step forward, but everything felt slow and sluggish. As if he was walking on the bottom of the ocean and fighting a raging current. Even with him in such a vulnerable state, the Heartless did nothing. It just hovered in the air in a meandering manner, casting a baleful gaze at Sora, while flickering between forms and likenesses.

_I screwed up. I screwed up!_ Sora was on the verge of panic mentally, and in a bad spot physically. But he was not without hope. So long as the Heartless just menaced him from afar, he could still recover from this. _Just run. Just run as far away from this things as possible..._ If he just went up the path, he could find Leon or Tifa, get back to the city, get away from this thing.

_I have to tell her how sorry I am. How sorry am for acting like such a brat._

And all he had to do was run.

Slowly, on unsteady legs, Sora began to scoot away from the Heartless while picking himself up, fully intending to sprint away. His muscles were aching and his limbs felt rubbery, but he was certain they would be able to carry him far enough. They just had to.

Sora stood up to full height, twisting away from the the Heartless.

And that's when it (still copying Saix) spoke.

_**Still running away from your problems, boy? Still refusing to take charge and face them upfront?**_

The voice in Sora's head was like thunderclap. A cacophonous clarion. It felt like his head was going to split open then and there. In an instance, all his resistance vanished, and Sora screamed in pain and collapsed into a puddle, feebly grasping at the ground.

The shadow zipped over to Sora's position, distressingly looming over the fallen, helpless Islander. Once more, the form of the Heartless began to shift and change before Sora's eyes, the image of Saix overlayed on it's form flickering to resemble another Nobody now – Xigbar.

_**This punk just doesn't have the stones to face the music. Whenever he screws up, he runs and hides and pretends it never happened. Did you ever even say "I'm sorry" to your little pals for the hell you put them through?**_

"Shut up... that's not true..." Sora refuted, but even he couldn't deny the truth. He had put the weight of the world – of all worlds – on his shoulders and slipped up, placing that burden on Kairi.

Sora shook his head, desperately trying to think of something to counter the phantasm. Kingdom Key just wasn't answering his call, and he was pretty sure he couldn't cast a Cure or Esuna spell in the state he was in. But, still, he had to have some kind of answer.

_**He gave up. He gave in to temptation. One life for the life of everyone else. How many people do you think got hurt because of your selfishness, huh?**_

The pain echoed and reverberated to an even greater zenith than before, to the point that Sora barely noticed that he had been picked up into the air again and hurled roughly onto the hard, rocky ground. The Heartless pursued, it's shape shifting so that it's halo resembled the fallen Superior of the Organization, Xemnas.

_**And now he lies here. Trapped within his own heart, burdened by his failures and his flaws, while his compatriots leave him behind.**_

"Kairi... Riku..." Sora heaved. Never had Sora been so desperate for help, not just from his two lifelong friends, but from anyone. Anyone at all. But he had to face this test on his own. All three of them did. And that's what terrified him the most.

_**You struggle in vain against the simple truths of the world. You lack the power and natural talent of your fellow Key Bearers, and try to compensate as a result. But no amount of effort can change the facts. You were not Chosen by another. You are not a Princess of Heart. You lack that specialness, and will never be able to close the gulf that lies between the three of you.**_

He was right. This thing was right. Sora worked so hard because he knew he had to. If he wanted any chance of being able to stand alongside Kairi and Riku – to be as strong as they were – he had to. He had to face any challenge, fight any foe, perform any task asked of him, offer assistance where needed... all with a carefree smile on his face. Even if he got hurt in the process. Even if he broke as a result.

Because if he couldn't, then maybe Sora didn't deserve to call himself a hero.

The mirage surrounding the Heartless transformed once more, taking on the image of someone Sora knew of, but lacked any true memories of them – Marluxia, the self-styled Lord of Castle Oblivion.

_**And you honestly think you can help anyone like that? Like this? People rely upon you and call out your name in the hope of salvation, but you can't even escape the chains that weigh your heart down. Didn't you say you would be the one to rescue Roxas and Namine?**_

He had. Time and time again, Sora had made that declaration. Because the two of them deserved better. Namine had done so much to help him and his friends, even after all the abuse she had suffered in her life. Roxas had his life ruined simply because of who he was, because of how he related to Sora. The two deserved to exist, and a chance to have full, happy lives.

Sora didn't now how to accomplish that, but he would. He absolutely would.

However, such lofty dreams seemed to wither on the vine in the face of the phantasm's disparaging assault.

_**But how will you go about that? How will you free the hearts held captive within? Will you take that burden upon yourself, as well? Shoulder it all, more and more, even if the task seems impossible? Wasn't that what you did while you were in my Castle? Taking sole responsibility of Namine's security, even if it mean wandering into a trap?**_

Was that what had happened? Sora still lacked any memory of the events within Castle Oblivion, he could only really go on what Riku and the King told him, but... that certainly sounded like something he would do. Run blindly into the darkness to rescue someone, no matter the harm that came to him. No matter the consequences that would be inflicted on others in his absence.

Freeing Kairi's heart. Sacrificing himself to save Kairi. Trying to rescue Namine from within the heart of the Castle.

_All those times, what would have happened if I failed? So many things could have gone wrong. All because I was thoughtless and reckless and tried to do it all by myself..._

Sora's miserable reverie was shattered, when he noticed a Keyblade pointed in his face.

The phantom had assumed another form, one entirely unrecognizable to Sora. It almost looked like, well, himself. Himself, but looking both older and more malevolent, with jet-black hair, piercing golden eyes, and garbed in odd, fleshy-looking armour. Staring at the being still caused intense heartache to Sora, but it was different this time. As if their were another part of him – or just another, in general – that was reacting to this phantom, but not the others.

_**"And you're the one he chose in the end? You're the heart Ventus called out to? Pathetic!"**_

"Ven... what? Who are you...?"

The shadow just glared at Sora.

This one felt different. Far more different than from when it was mimicking the Organization members. Almost as if this facsimile was more genuine, more real.

_**"...It doesn't matter. An idiot like you will always be an idiot. You'll always take the weight of the world upon your shoulders. You'll always make the sacrifice play, no matter the consequences. The cycle will go on and on, and you'll never learn your lesson. Better to put you out of your misery now, before you hurt anyone else, right?"**_

The pain. The guilt. The shame. It all weighed Sora down, as he lay there, lifeless and exhausted. Normally he possessed such a fiery, defiant spirit in the face of such tirades, but he couldn't muster even the tiniest of protest right now.

With the invisible force the Heartless commanded, it lifted Sora into the air, the Key Bearer hanging there, paralyzed and helpless.

_Because it's true. Because I know how this phantom knows all this._

The Heartless coalesced a swirling mass of energy at it's clawed hands. Rapidly, it's appearance morphed between the five guises of Xemnas, Xigbar, Saix, Marluxia, and Sora's doppelganger. At times, it was all five of them At others, it was none of them. And then it was everything between those two extremes.

_Everything this thing it's saying, it's coming from me. From the depths of my heart._

Sora shut his eyes, preparing for the inevitable. For the pain. For the sting of failure...

...But none of that ever came. Instead, Sora found himself suddenly deposited back to the ground, falling into a sitting position, as the sounds of combat and struggle entered his ears.

The pain in his heart and head began to abate.

Sora opened his eyes and, miraculously, there was Tifa Lockhart, doing battle with the Heartless!

Bowing his head in gratitude, Sora ran his fingers through his hair, and did the thing he should have done hours earlier.

He took the backseat, and let his friend take charge.

Tifa took that weight from his shoulders and ran with it.

The battle unfolded before Sora's eyes, and it seemed all too similar to Leon's earlier skirmish with the black cloak. Tifa unleashed a constant string of attacks, not letting up her offence for even a moment, but the Heartless handily avoided each and every single one of the woman's unarmed strikes. But, just as with Leon, it's form was stable and locked, and it didn't seem to be attacking Tifa's heart like it had with Sora's.

_Of course it isn't. This thing was basically designed to fight me and only me. To teach me a lesson._ Sora grimaced glumly at the revelation. Or, rather, that it took him so long to come to this realization. _A Heartless that strikes at my heart and puts me through the mother of all guilt trips? Real subtle there, Yen Sid..._

Even in the face of such an evasive foe, Tifa kept her foot firmly on the gas pedal, as she tried to firmly put her foot somewhere on the body of the Heartless. Eventually, the shade tried to perform the same trick it did against Leon: compressing it's entire form into a tiny nucleus of darkness, in order to make a hasty retreat. This only caused Tifa to furrow her brow in further concentration, tightening her right fist, as shining energy began to form around her hand.

As the Heartless finished sealing itself away inside the sphere, Tifa leaped into the air, and came crashing down on top of it, swinging her arm in a downward arc with all the titanic might her body could muster...

**[_LIMIT BREAK: Final Heaven!_]**

...At the last second, the Heartless slipped away once more, retreated backward, leading to Tifa's fist colliding with the ground, seemingly missing it's target.

Tifa grinned, victoriously, as all the pent up energy within her fist bloomed outward, releasing in a violent torrent. A massive burst of light consumed the world around Sora, as Tifa's one singular punch created a colossal, controlled explosion that surged out before her. Shielding his eyes from the luminous blast, Sora could barely see the silhouette of the Heartless – blackness standing in stark relief against the light – as it faded and withered from the furious force of the blast.

When the attack finally subsided, Tifa's fist was still planted on solid stone, but the ground before her had been reduced into this deep, perfectly smooth divot in the earth, still smoking from aftereffects of the attack.

Leon arrived shortly thereafter, he and Tifa convening and checking in on Sora, but the Key Bearer was far too gone by this point. He was sore and tired and angry and frustrated. He just wanted this day to be done and over with.

_Not to mention I made a total ass of myself. Probably failed the test outright. Man, Riku will never let me hear the end of this..._

With a heavy sigh, one that equally sounded disappointed and relieved, Sora returned to the city with his friends.

**-D/D/D-**

Sora wanted nothing more than just to slink away and stay out of everyone's way for the time being. He had caused more than enough trouble today, and figured everyone (himself included) would be better off if he just left this dream world and either move on or flunk out.

Of course, Sora had no idea how to get out of this dream world – or any idea of whether he had passed, failed, or even came across the true objective – so he didn't have a whole lot of options. Not to mention Tifa made it very clear that she wanted to have another talk with him before anything else.

And so, Sora found himself awkwardly waiting around at Tifa's kitchen table, waiting for her to return from whatever debriefing she had to attend with Leon. In the interim, Tifa at least had the grace to prepare her guest a cup of tea, to calm his nerves. Sora really wasn't much of a tea person, but he was touched by the tiny gesture, and the warm scent of lemon and mint wafting from the drink did actually seem to help assuage his heart, if only a tiny bit.

Still, as Tifa returned home, Sora nearly burned his tongue on the scalding liquid. He might just stick to smelling the tea, instead.

"So, how're you feeling, Sora?" Tifa greeted, amiably enough, as she strode into the kitchen and took the seat opposite of her guest.

Sora mumbled a reply. "Um, I'm okay, I suppose. Thank you again for the tea." At that, Tifa smiled. The return trip to the capital had been done in near silence, particularly from Sora. It was a good sign he was speaking again.

"Well, are you up for telling me what's up, then?" No beating around the bush, straight and direct to the point. "Why you were so insistent on helping, why you kept charging into danger, and why that thing seemed to target you?" At the questions, Sora only shied away, scratching at his head nervously. He absolutely wasn't ready for that. Hell, he wasn't sure he had all the answers.

Pursing her lips in thought, Tifa tried for a different angle of attack. "How about, to make it fair, I'll share my piece, then you can answer. I'll explain why I've been so hard on you all day first, does that sound good?" Sora looked up from the steaming mug of tea and met Tifa's wine-red eyes.

"Yeah. Yeah, I'll agree to that, Tifa." The raven-haired woman nodded.

"First, I guess I'll ask you one more question." Tifa began, as she settled herself into the chair, getting comfortable, as if this was going to be a lengthy tale. "Have you ever wondered what we were all like when we were younger? Before Maleficent invaded the Garden? Specifically Squall and Cloud?"

Sora looked at her with a bemused cock of his eyebrow, before considering the question. He hadn't really considered the lives of his friends on the Garden prior to the catastrophic events that forced them to flee their homes. All he had to go off of was that they lived in relative peace and happiness, and that most of them were friends or acquaintances even before Maleficent's attack, but beyond that, nothing of real substance.

"Cloud and Leon, I mean, I guess they were like they are now but smaller, right?"

Tifa let out an amused chuckle at Sora's unsure answer. "You couldn't be further from the truth." A small glimmer of nostalgia flashed in Tifa's eyes as she spoke. As she reminisced upon a more innocent time for her and her friends. "Believe it or not, when they were younger, thirteen years ago, Cloud and Squall remind me of you."

Sora didn't believe it. Gruff and serious Leon and quiet and withdrawn Cloud, like him? The disbelief must have been incredibly evident, because Tifa chuckled once more, a lovely little smile spreading across her lips.

"I know, quite a shock right? But, yeah, Squall was a real go-getter. Maybe not as cheerful or perky as you, but he never stopped moving. Never stopped working. Always going the extra mile to help anyone and everyone." Sora let out a low, hissing breath. Boy that sounded familiar. He was starting to get a picture of what Tifa wanted to say. "And he never asked for anything in return, either. He just wanted to help people. I guess, in that respect, he hasn't change too too much. But he was warm, and polite, and energetic. Top of all of his classes in school, he did training at a military academy... He always said he wanted to be a great hero that people could look up to. In a way, he did achieve that goal, but he lost a part of himself along the way."

Sora could agree with that assessment. The part about Leon being someone others could look up to. He had done so much to keep everyone together in the intervening years huddled together in Traverse Town. He had done even more in the reclaiming of Hollow Bastion and the restoration of the Radiant Garden. Leon was one of the first people Sora had crossed paths with, all those years ago, and the Key Bearer certainly had a great deal of respect and admiration for him, both then and now.

Tifa then suddenly got very quiet, resting her cheek on one of her hands, looking off into space with a wistful look on her face.

Sora knew exactly why she was in such a state.

"And Cloud?" He asked, with just the tiniest bit of hesitance in his voice.

"Cloud... Cloud was both the same and different from how you know him now. He was still very quiet and emotionally distant, but it was mostly from shyness." Sora blinked incredulously. "Shy" was one of the last words he would use to describe Cloud Strife. Tifa noticed the disbelief, but continued all the same. "Growing up, it was just him and his mom, and I was really his only friend, too. Or, rather, he admired me from afar, and was always very polite and helpful to me, but he stayed at arm's length for the most part. But, we grew up, and, slowly – very slowly – we became closer. I think we were about eleven or twelve when we really started to become friends, and I learned a lot about him. He was a thoughtful boy, always thinking about those in trouble, in need of help, and he wanted to do something about it. He wanted to become stronger, so that he could help everyone in the Garden." That sounded familiar to Sora, too. It sounded like young Cloud was a little bit of himself, and a little bit of Riku, as well. "And, I think... I think he wanted to become strong so that he could impress me. I think even back then he harboured feelings for me."

_I knew it! I knew they had eyes for each other._ Sora thought, even if it was a little inappropriate given the time and place.

The entire time Tifa had spoken, her tone was very soft and gentle. It had clearly been sometime since she had thought about her childhood and the lives of her and her friends before everything went to hell.

Then, when she spoke about Cloud, tinges of happiness crept into her voice, her countenance lightening up the more she talked about the blond and their lives together.

But now, now that joy had fallen away, her face taking a more dour and serious expression.

"Then, everything happened. The King and Queen died. Ansem and his apprentices disappeared. Maleficent invaded, and we were all forced to flee.

"Her attack didn't happen all at once, but she struck the capitol and surrounding areas first. Over the span of a year, we were all forced to flee off-world, or seek asylum in other nations, or hide in the ruins of the Garden. But so many people died during the initial attack, so many people were lost in the scramble to find somewhere safe." Tifa scowled deeply, pain rent across her face. Sora reach a hand across the table and gently place it on top of one of Tifa's own. The gesture seemed to do the trick, the anguish born from Tifa's memories lessening. She mouthed a silent "Thank you" before continuing.

"In the aftermath, Squall and Cloud were two who took charge in assisting the evacuation and settlement effort. Even if they were young, everyone trusted Squall, Cloud worked as if he had something to prove, and... we didn't have many options, really. But, taking on such a task would be hard even for the most seasoned of veterans, let alone a pair of teenagers like those two. Squall did his best, even taking on the mantle of unofficial leader, something he carries with him to this day. But he had to do that day after day, week after week, month after month, year after year. Helping the wounded and the sick. Finding housing and food and medicine for everyone. Telling someone that the person they loved – a sibling or a parent or a child or a lover – was dead... Squall took all that on himself, never delegating the hardest jobs to anyone else, and it weighed him down. It changed him. That spirited, helpful, goodhearted kid I knew doesn't exist anymore. I mean, for crying out loud, he still won't let anyone call him by his real name!"

A sigh escaped the lips of the raven-haired brawler. "I suppose it's not so bad. With Squall, I mean. He's still the same person deep down in side, just..." Tifa paused, as it trying to find the right way to phrase it. "Much more rough around the edges now than back then. Cloud, on the other hand...

"Where Squall took the initiative in Traverse Town, Cloud spent most of his time on missions back to the ruins of the Garden, to look for supplies and survivors. I don't think I could even count all the times he went back, it was that many. He would wear himself down to the bone doing everything in his power to save people, but even with all the effort he could muster, he would lose people on his team. He would fail to save those left behind. Every single death stayed with him, but he kept soldiering on, no matter how much we tried to help. Me, Aerith, Zack... he just wouldn't listen. Back then, only two things mattered to Cloud: getting stronger and saving others.

"Then, one day, we got a distress call from home. Some people had set up a makeshift orphanage, but it was under constant threat of Heartless attack. They were in desperate need of help, and Cloud jumped at the call. But..." A lump had formed in Tifa's throat, as she swallowed it back, hard. "To this day, Cloud has still never told me exactly what happened that day, but all I know is that he was the only person to return to Traverse Town, a bloody mess, and everyone else had died. His team – Biggs and Wedge and Jesse – the guardians and all the kids... they were gone. Cloud couldn't save anyone. He had failed them, he failed himself, and it completely shattered his heart.

"Soon after, Cloud left Traverse Town, and the next time any of us saw him was after we retook Hollow Bastion, after you had defeated Xehanort's Heartless. He had been gone for six years..."

Sora looked down at his (no much cooler) mug of tea, as he parsed each and every word Tifa had said. Sora always figured that The Fall of the Garden and the years of fallout must have been a brutal affair, but to hear what Cloud and Leon – just Cloud and Leon, discounting anyone else – had been through was nightmarish. His mind began to spiral into how rough that decade was for everyone, ten whole years of wandering in the darkness until a tiny beacon of light came into their lives. How, somehow, these people had managed to keep their spirits up during years that were both incredibly formative and harrowing.

_Cloud and Tifa and the others were probably around our age when they lost their home. Yuffie even younger. And it took them that long just to get it back, and even longer to rebuild. And I thought being away from home for a year was rough..._

Tifa took a moment to gather herself, to calm her emotions, and to cast away the specters of her past. After the brief, calm silence, Tifa was the one to take Sora's hand in hers, looking the Key Bearer directly in the eye. "So, the reason why I've been so hard on you Sora... Like I said, you remind me of Squall and Cloud when they were younger. All three of you had this intangible thing about you. This spark of joy, this wonderful, precious thing that you carried with you and used to try and make the world a better place. To make everyone feel happier and safer." Tifa looked incredibly proud and delighted when she described this "spark", and Sora could feel it was direct at him. That Tifa admired and respected him, not for what he had done, but for who he was and how he did things.

The pride quickly vanished, as Tifa began to take on a crestfallen look. "But those two lost their's, and I don't think they can get it back. They took on too much and were crushed under the weight of their responsibilities. They thought they were invincible and could do everything by themselves. That through their hard effort alone, everyone would be saved.

"And I don't want that to happen to you, too, Sora. I don't want you to lose that wonderful thing in your heart that makes you you."

With a sharp inhalation of oxygen, Sora almost responded immediately. Almost. But he caught himself.

He wanted to just simply tell Tifa she didn't have to worry, or there was no way that would happen to him. But she did worry. And that could happen to him, because it had happened before. Tifa had witnessed it with her own eyes. Her beloved friends changing due to the ordeals they had faced.

And now, he had unwittingly stumbled upon the same path Leon and Cloud did all those years ago.

_Man, I'm such a jerk..._

"I'm sorry, Tifa." Sora said in a small, miserable voice. "I didn't know. I didn't mean to worry you that much..."

"Oh, Sora." Tifa stood up from her chair and circled around the table, standing to Sora's side and pulling him into a big hug. Even in his miserable state of mind, Sora was all too aware how close he was to his crush's ample bust. "It's okay. I..." Tifa pushed Sora away, looking at him with guilt apparent in her claret-coloured eyes. "I've done this before. Had problems being honest with myself, and others. With Cloud, for too long I kept how I felt bottled up. Even back when we were kids." Tifa released another sigh. "Sometimes, I feel like if I had just told him what I was feeling back then, these disasters could have been averted. That things would be different. With him. With us."

"Yeah, I know that feeling all too well." It was time for Sora to be honest with himself, too. Feelings that had been welling inside him needed to come out. "So, I guess it's my turn to spill my guts, huh?"

Tifa shook her head. "It's okay Sora. I'm just glad you understand where I was coming from." Despite the out, Sora did not take it. Tifa deserved and explanation, and this would be for his own good, too.

"No, no, I should really say this. You see..." Sora paused to gather his messy thoughts and jumbled emotions. Where to begin in all this...

_How about back at the beginning?_

"So, it's kind of two reason why I've been so determined to help others, no matter what. First, ever since Kairi and Riku got their Keyblades and we defeated the Organization, well, I can't help but feel I can't measure up to the two of them." Tifa cocked an eyebrow at the admission, causing Sora to hold his hands up. "No, I mean... don't get me wrong, I'm super proud of all they've done. Especially Kairi. She was – is – amazing!" Then, in a sotto voice, Sora added, "Just between you and me, I think she's even more attractive now that I know she can kick all sorts of ass. Not to mention how confident and fierce and..." Sora trailed off, feeling his cheeks burn while thinking about his girlfriend. In return, Tifa had to suppress a giggle at the lovestruck teen and his reaction.

"Anyways..." Sora eventually continued, "All of us have our Keyblades, we've all had our adventures, and we've all had our victories and triumphs. But..."

"But?"

"But Kairi has her Light. She's a Princess of Heart. That power is a part of her, and it can never be taken away. And Riku had his heart bathed in darkness, and learned how to control it. He's basically the opposite of Kairi – a Prince of Darkness, or whatever. Not to mention he was Chosen by Terra to wield the Keyblade. I only got it by complete luck. If it weren't for Ven then I..." Sora held his hand over his heart, over the spot where both Ventus and Roxas slumbered. Even though he only met both of them briefly, they had helped him out so much in the past. "The point is, I'm not special like Kairi or Riku. I don't have something like her Light, and I wasn't Chosen.

"Sometimes I feel like if I don't do my best every time, work my absolutely hardest when I'm out in the field or with you guys, then I don't measure up. That I'm not anywhere near as strong as those two. That... I'm not worthy of having the Keyblade."

"Oh Sora..." Tifa studied the boy, her dear friend, for a moment. Head cast down, eyes clouded with despair, compulsively tussling with his hair in a bout of nervous energy; looked absolutely miserable. Moreso than any other time in his life, so far as Tifa knew. She wanted nothing more in the moment to comfort him, but... "What was the other thing bothering you, Sora?" Tifa asked after a long pause.

"Uh, yeah, that... I guess it's been in the back of my mind for a while now, but I can't help but ask myself: When I exchanged myself to Kairi, was that a mistake?" Sora looked up at Tifa now, looking in her direction for any kind of assurance or token of support. Tifa only gave him a mute appeal to continue. "I mean, again, I shouldn't complain, right? Everything worked out pretty well, all things considered. But... what if it hadn't? What if Kairi never got her Keyblade or died on one of her missions?" Sora's entire body trembled when he mentioned Kairi and death in the same breath. "What if Riku had died?" Again, Sora's whole being trembled. "What if one of those breaks that went are way didn't?

"I put one person ahead of the entire universe. Kairi only got involved in this in the first place because of me. And when the pressure was on, I gave in, and put Kairi through all that hell. All because I was so weak in that moment. If only I were stronger. If only I -"

"Sora." Tifa's voice cut through Sora's disparaging ramblings, as she took the seat next to him. She placed a soothing hand on the back of the Key Bearer, and forced him to turn and face him. "It's not healthy to think like that. To live thinking 'what if' or 'if only'. I know, because I spent years thinking doing that." Tifa's face creased into a grimace, more reminiscing on painful experiences. "After Cloud broke apart and left, I spent years blaming myself and wandering in a haze. I even left Traverse Town searching for him, before returning here that year we met. But nothing I did back then, and nothing I do now can change what happened. Cloud got hurt, but at the very least, he's still okay. He's still here, with me..." A minuscule amount of scarlet began to creep into Tifa's cheeks, something that didn't escape Sora's notice. "And nothing you do can change what happened when you excepted the Organization's deal. It happened and you just have to live with it.

"Yes, in the moment, you thought one person – the person you care about the most – was worth more than everything and everyone else, and maybe that was wrong. Or maybe it was right. We all have moments of weakness in our life, there's no avoiding it. But we can't change those moments when they pass, only deal with the fallout." Once more, Sora felt himself pulled into a hug. "I really wish I could tell you an answer to your question, Sora, but I can't. Just like you can't tell when whether I was right or wrong for what I did. Our choices effected the people we love, but we got lucky, so we just need to keep faith and be strong in the future."

Sora nodded along, still held in Tifa's strong, firm embrace. But, even despite the seriousness of the talk and the dourness of the topic, Sora felt the need to pull at a few little threads out of curiosity's sake. "Hey, Tif'... well, thanks for everything again, but I just have to ask. You and Cloud, are you two a -"

Just like the prior day, Tifa cleared her throat and stammered, the streak of blush returning to her cheeks. "That is... complicated." She sheepishly admitted. "We both know how we feel about each other, but he's still... wary. Hurt. Not fully there. We're moving slowly." Tifa smiled, shyly. "But, we are making progress. He said he wanted to make me dinner when he got back from this job. So, I have hope. For him. For us.

"Just... don't tell him I told you this. Or anyone else." Sora chuckled as Tifa seemed more and more flustered. "He's changed a lot, but there's still a part of him that's that shy, thoughtful boy from all those years ago."

"My lips are sealed." Sora declared, miming closing a zipper over his lips. His mood was much alleviated. Seeing his friends happy always did the trick, no matter what was troubling him. "But, for what it's worth, I think you two will make a great couple. And I'll support you guys a hundred percent of the way." Tifa smiled, once more.

"You're such a sweet guy." The skilled martial artist, possessing such great strength, very gently brushed Sora's hair with a hand. "And as for worrying about how strong you are, well, I don't what else to say except you're completely wrong!" Now, it was Tifa's turn to be incredulous, as if the concept of Sora doubting his own power was absurd to her. "It doesn't matter if you don't think you're 'special' or if you weren't Chosen or anything. You've already done so much for so many people. I mean... the entire reason I have this house, that we're able to have this conversation, it's because of you, Sora! You defeated Maleficent and gave us back our home, how could you ever doubt yourself after stuff like that?"

Sora ducked his head down in shame. He knew Tifa was trying to make him feel better about himself, but he couldn't help it, considering how he was acting earlier.

Again, Tifa placed a comforting hand on Sora's back, as she continued.

"You don't need to prove anything to anyone anymore, Sora. You don't need to push yourself or work harder just because you think you lack something. You don't need to put the weight of the world on your shoulders anymore. And I'm certain Riku and Kairi would say the same thing." Tifa then flashed her friend a teasing look. "Especially Kairi. Don't want to do anything to disappoint her, do you?"

Sora laughed slightly. "No. Definitely don't want to do that." Tifa right. Beyond right. If Kairi or Riku had heard him talking like that, well... Kairi would probably be comforting him in a manner similar to Tifa. Riku would have most likely berated and insulted him, before comforting him in a manner only similar to no one else.

"And, for what it's worth. I think you're just as special as those two, Sora. Like I said, that spark of yours is a very precious thing. And it's a part of you, as much as Kairi's Light and Riku's darkness. I won't begin to pretend I understand the Keyblade, but even if you weren't Chosen, you have the Keyblade for a reason. Because that heart of yours is so big and bright, and because you bring people happiness and peace wherever you go.

"That's what makes you special. That's what makes you, you, Sora."

_Man, all this time, have I been worrying about this stuff, and it was this simple?_ Maybe Sora knew that all his doubts and fears were just in his head. Maybe he knew all this stuff beforehand, and just needed someone else to tell him. To illuminate the truth that he was blind to. _Even if I'm not the strongest, there's no shame being behind Kairi or Riku._ After all, even with his lost memories, he was still so far and away during his second journey, it was just the others catching up to him. In a game, a character at Level 1 and a character at Level 50 grew at different rates.

_If only life were as simple as an RPG, eh Sora?_

"Thanks again, Tifa. For everything."

Sora sat in silent thought for a long while after, reflecting on what had happened, on Tifa's story, and on his own admissions and Tifa's advice. At times, the Key Bearer wondered how much of this was real. He was still in a simulation, after all, but this was all based on his memories and connections with others. It was most likely that this had happened to Tifa and the others in the past. _I'll have to ask next time I see the gang. I still can't believe I've gone this long knowing everyone without knowing all this._

But, mostly, Sora's thoughts fell on his Mark of Mastery exam. He still felt like he had failed in his mission earlier, not being able to conquer his own flaws and needing Tifa to come to his rescue. But, then, why was he still here? _If I failed, wouldn't I just immediately be pulled out? Sometimes I wish Yen Sid was more clear on this kinda stuff..._ On the other hand, though, Yen Sid said earning realization was important in this test, too. Maybe that was what Sora was suppose to accomplish here. Maybe by opening up to Tifa and empathizing with her, he had fulfilled the requirements to pass this stage of the test.

Somehow, Sora knew he had another place to be. He couldn't stay in Radiant Garden, trapped within his own mind, for much longer.

Sora stood up from his seat. "I think it's time for me to go, Tifa." He said while moving towards the door.

"So soon? You sure you don't want to rest some more?"

The Keyblade Master-in-training politely dismissed her concern. "Don't worry, I'm not gonna push myself too much. It's just... I can't really explain it properly, but I think I cleared this part of my test, and have to go on to the next world." Sora scratched at his goatee, as more errant thoughts about his situation entered his mind. "I don't really know what I did to pass, or anything, or really what else I'm gonna face, but I gotta move on eventually, so..." He trailed off awkwardly, leading to Tifa striding over to him.

The raven-haired woman gently punched him in the shoulder. A gesture of support. "Best of luck to you, Sora." Tifa cheered earnestly. "To you and Kairi." She rolled her eyes. "Riku, too, I guess... But, I believe in all of you guys. We all do. None of you have let us down before, and even if what we talked about today doesn't give you the answers you're looking for, I'm sure you'll find them just down the road." Tifa touched a finger to the left side of her chest. "You heart will show you the way."

_It's never let me down before._

With one final thank you and a heartfelt goodbye, Sora exited Tifa's house and made his way down the street.

At the end, a shimmering Keyhole was waiting for him.

"Well, looks like I did pass." Sora summoned Kingdom Key and leveled it with the Keyhole. "Otherwise, why else would this be here?" He asked no one in particular, as light sparked at the tip of his Keyblade.

It had been a long, rough, shameful, and embarrassing day for Sora. The pain he had felt while confronting the Heartless may have been the easiest part, seeing as how the lesson that this test was trying to impart on him hit him with all the subtlety of a sledgehammer. But, maybe that shock was just what he needed. Maybe now, with a bit of clarity, Sora could excel and fly high, free from his burden and doubts.

"Guess the only way I'll know is if I dive right in." Sora declared, with his usual tone of easy confidence. "One rough day is just that, a rough day. Next challenge, I'll show everyone what I'm made of.

"Kairi. Riku. I hope you guys have been having a better go at this than me, but, wherever you two are, I'm not gonna let a bad start get the best of me. We'll all come out of this on top, equal, as Masters. _And_ I won't lose the ice cream bet, either."

Sora fired a ray of energy into the Keyhole, the opening in reality expanding and unleashing a wave of blinding, bright light. Sora did not look away, but instead embraced the radiance. Soon after, Sora felt himself pulled deeper into the dream.

* * *

**Combat Log Entry #002 – Sora The Key Bearer**

Sora Kido  
Job Class: Key Bearer – Red Mage

Weapon: The Keyblade, Kingdom Key

Elemental Affinities: Fire, Ice, Lightning, Wind

(Scale of Very High, High, Above Average, Average, Below Average, Low, Very Low)  
Offensive Capability: High  
Defensive Capability: Above Average  
Support Capability: Above Average

(Scale of 1-10)  
Power: 8/10  
Agility: 9/10  
Stamina: 7/10  
Magic: 7/10  
Technique: 5/10  
Intelligence: 5/10  
Teamwork: 10/10

**Strengths  
**-Incredibly strong heart capable of resisting the negatives effects of light and darkness, as well as being able to form strong, magical bonds with other beings, empowering them and himself.

-Fighting style is both flexible and balanced, making it very difficult for him to face a truly bad match-up in a straight fight.

-Is able to make friends and allies everywhere he goes through sheer charisma and optimism.

**Weaknesses  
**-Mostly self-taught, leading to a loose fighting style that can be exploited by highly skilled adversaries. Also, lacks any form of hand-to-hand combat training.

-Not the most perceptive or the quickest thinker, which can leave him at a disadvantage against foes with tricky powers or require involved strategies to best.

* * *

_And so Sora gains some understanding about how his actions and desires affect him and those closest to him, completing the first leg of his test._

_-Another big issues I have had with Kingdom Hearts III is how Sora is used. Not with Sora the character, I want to make that clear, I have no problem with Sora himself – but with how he is used. In how, for the majority of the game, he has no connection to the plot whatsoever and just bumbles around Disney world, but once you get to the Keyblade Graveyard he becomes the only character that matters; the only character written with agency and competency and the only character allowed to do stuff/succeed at stuff. You have all these characters, but NOPE, it's the Sora Show. All Sora, all the time, and no one else. Fan of Riku or Aqua or anyone else? Hope you enjoy them failing at life constantly so we can make room for more Sora!_

_So, my response is, why not actually make this a part of Sora's character? That he feels the need to do everything all the time and help everyone and also be the hero? That he feels like he can't stop. Because, remember, Alternate Universe here – Sora had to sit on the sidelines for a while, Kairi and Riku are on Sora's level, and you have Aqua who is even further beyond him. Sora isn't egotistical or anything, but he is use to being the one and only hero, but now he's bumping elbows with his friends, and he doesn't necessarily know how to handle it. Especially when you take in the fact that Sora doubts he can stand alongside his friends because he's not "special"._

_-I also had fun finally incorporating more of Radiant Garden's history, as well as the arcs of Tifa, Cloud, and Squall into this. I've said it before, more Final Fantasy, use them as mentors and helpers for our heroes. A bit of minor adaptation in everyone's own arcs from their games, and then the massive whammy of Maleficent's invasion completely changing the trajectory of their arcs, but everyone still ends up as to where and who they are by the start of their games? Yeah, I'm all about that._

_But I do hope the reason as to why Tifa is so protective of Sora makes sense, as does the comparisons to young Squall and young Cloud._

_But, beyond that, I do hope everyone enjoyed this chapter. I was kind of iffy on it as I was writing, but I've come around on it since then. Don't be afraid to drop a line and voice your opinions if you so desire; it would mean the world to me if you did._

_Next time, we'll finish up the first arc of this story, as Riku deals with his "familial drama" in his first world._

_Until then, keep moving forward on your own journey, dear traveler._


	9. The Power To Free Hearts

**DDD  
The Dreamers, The Destroyer, and The Departed  
Chapter Nine  
The Power To Free Hearts**

Riku and Izuka stood frozen in place, as a squirming Shadow Heartless rose up from the remnants of what was once their mother.

The Heartless was scrawny, even for a Shadow; Kanon Harukaze was just an ordinary person, so it stood to reason she would produce an ordinary Heartless. Strangely enough, the hands, feets, and parts of the arms and legs of the Shadow were a dark blue colour, before fading to the totality of blackness that normally comprised a Shadow.

The little darkling flitted about nervously, clearly looking for prey. Though the heart of Kanon Harukaze was buried deep within the body of the monster, nothing else remained of her. All that was left was a predatory beast fueled by primal, primitive instincts. Hunt. Kill. Proliferate.

Finally, the silver-haired siblings acted in the face of the horror before them.

Izuka covered her mouth with her hands, letting loose a muffled scream of terror, as tears began to form in the pit of her eyes.

Riku bundled up his free hand into a fist, as tight as he could make it. It had been a long, long time since he had seen someone struck down and transformed by a Heartless, but no amount of time could ever dull the sickening sensation he felt witnessing it. In a way, this was worse than watching someone die. It was cessation of life, followed by the birth of a twisted parody of a lifeform.

As his stomach and heart twisted themselves into knots, Riku's eyes drifted to the form of the Cruel Angler Heartless, the thing responsible for this nightmare. If Riku didn't know better, he could swear that malicious grin was intentional and pointed, directed at him.

Riku's blood was set to boil.

"I'm going to kill you, you bastard...!" Riku growled in a threatening voice, before launching into a furor of attacks: blistering bolts of darkness energy that sailed down the alleyway, over the head of the Shadow, but screaming towards the Angler. However, the serpentine monstrosity proved to be a slippery and agile foe, as it easily wove it's way through the barrage, before once more sinking into the ground, slithering away and vanishing from sight.

"You're not getting away!" Riku's eyes fell to the ground, to scan for the telltale shade of the Angler, trying to get a beat on where it was. Where it was going. His breathing was sharp an uneven. His movements twitchy and agitated. Whatever misgivings Riku had towards his mother, and as much as he liked to reign in and control his emotions, it was clear that this was effecting him. He was panicking. Rushing. Aggravated. Furious. He wanted nothing more than to get his hands on that damned Heartless and vent all these frustrations out on it in the most violent and painful way possible.

However, Riku quickly lost sight of the thing, as it vanished amongst the chaos of the street and town. Even beyond the Angler, this district of downtown Salm was quickly turning into a warzone; more and more Heartless were spawning in and terrorizing the townfolk, just generally wreaking havoc where they could. Bulky ram Heartless with rocky skin were bulldozing their way through the street, smashing anything in sight with their massive rack of horns, while fiery red snake-like Heartless spat out spheres of flame that detonated into fiery explosions on contact, destroying buildings and leaving patches of blazing fire along the road and sidewalks.

_This is getting out of hand in a hurry..._ Riku had diverted almost all of his attention away from the lone Shadow Heartless and was no focused on the chaos all around him. _I have to get to work, and fast. If only Sora or Kairi were here. Protecting people is more of their wheelhouse than mine..._

Riku went to join the fray, to try and do something – not certain what, but something – when the fragment of his attention that wasn't directed at the battlefield caught his sisters crawling along the ground towards the Shadow Heartless born from their mother.

Immediately, the Key Bearer changed course and dove towards Izuka.

"ZuZu, no! Stay back!" Riku shouted in caution, scooping her into his free arm and picking her struggling form up by the waist. "Don't touch that thing – don't touch it!" Forcibly, he dragged his little sister out of the alley and back into the street.

Finally, the Heartless seemed to take agency unto itself since it was ushered into existence, ambling off in a random direction, clearly in search of hearts to steal.

"We have to follow her!" Izuka squirmed and writhed beneath the ironclad grip of her brother, trying her damnedest to escape and give pursuit. "We have to follow mom! We have to get her back!" No matter how much effort she mustered, Izuka couldn't remove herself from her brother, who easily picked up her slight, lanky form and began to maneuver the two of them... somewhere. Riku wasn't sure.

"Izuka, stop!" Riku yelled over top of her, before putting her down back on the ground, but still keeping a hand on her arm, so that she didn't run off again. "We can't just blindly chase after that thing. This place is crawling with Heartless, so I need to get you somewhere safe first. Besides... that Shadow... I don't know what to do. I'm not -" Riku got himself. He was about to say that he "wasn't strong enough", but knew better than to focus on his shortcomings at this time. "I don't know what to do about that thing, right now."

Izuka was still trying to tear herself away from her brother. "Stop saying stuff like that!" The teen protested. "That's mom! She's not a 'thing' or an 'it', she's -"

"It's a Heartless! It's a little, cruel monster that wants nothing more than to rip your heart out and make more of itself. It's not mom! Mom's gone..."

A sharp sting of guilt ripped through his soul. He didn't want to admit it, but Riku styled himself a realist. Even in dire circumstances, he had to face reality.

"But you're the Keyblade Master!" Izuka clutched at Riku's shirt, looking at him with wild desperation lighting her eyes. "You're the strongest! You're a hero! You can do something!" With a surprising amount of deftness and gentleness giving his current condition, Riku removed his sister's hands from his shirt, keeping a hold of her wrists.

"Don't believe all that crap from the games, okay?" Riku told her in a harsh tone. Perhaps a little too harsh, as her lips quavered and trembled in fear and confusion. "I'm no hero." _I never was. That's always been Sora and Kairi. You can count on them to save others, protect people's dreams... All I've ever been is a fighter. A warrior. A survivor. A destroyer..._

His sister struggled against him once more, this time, finally winning out and breaking free, taking a few steps back. "The hell you can't!" Izuka said, voice thick with emotion. "You're the only one who can do anything! You're the one who has to fix this!" Izuka stared at her older brother for a moment, before blurting out, "This is your fault in the first place, after all!"

Riku staggered back, clearly not expecting the barb. The corners of his lip twitched, a growl building up in the back of his throat. In a situation like this, his first instinct would be to argue and berate and threaten, but... it was his little sister. He couldn't muster anywhere near enough vitriol to get into a verbal battle with her.

"ZuZu, I didn't..." The way she had phrased things, and the way things were going didn't help his mental state either. He was the reason the Heartless first came to the Islands and destroyed the entire world. Had he unwittingly repeated the same sin and brought a reckoning on to his home again? Was this really all his fault?

"Mom's like that because of you!" Izuka explained. Riku was thankful for the clarification, but, all the same, the words dug into his flesh and twisted. Burned. Had he screwed up again? Had someone close to him gotten hurt because of his actions once more? "If you had just kept your mouth shut and didn't argue with her, she wouldn't have left us. We wouldn't have split up and she wouldn't have been isolated like that!" Izuka screamed at her brother, fearful and breathlessly. Riku wore a dark expression as he bared the brunt of the rant. His heartache and guilt only worsened. "But you just had to fight with her, didn't you? You only had to keep it together for one day. One day! And you couldn't even do that..."

Tears began to fall from her eyes.

"I knew something like this would happen. I knew this was a bad idea... We can never be a proper family..."

Riku choked down his emotions with much difficulty. If this was any other member of his family telling him this, he could take it. But it was Izuka. His sister. Someone he sorely missed. Someone he missed so much, he had formed similar relationships with others, in order to replace their lost sibling bond.

"Listen, Izuka..." Riku began, slowly. His sister was out of breath, furiously knuckling the tears away from her eyes. "This... it's bad. But it's not too far gone. I can still fix this. But I can't do it while protecting you at the same time." Riku greatly doubted his own abilities to protect anything in the heat of battle. That was never his style. Never his path. He had lost and hurt too many to be a defender. "So I need to get you some place safe first."

Riku offered his sister his right hand, a gesture he had done in his past. To Sora. An outstretch hand offering to leave their world behind and to vanish into the dark abyss beyond. But this time, the emotions and reasoning behind the offering were more pure, more gracious. This time, offering his hand to a person he loved wouldn't lead to disaster. Hopefully.

With great hesitance, Izuka slowly returned the gesture, reaching her hand out to her brother, before her eyes went as wide as dinner plates.

"Riku! Look out!"

Instantly, Riku pivoted about, finding a herd of the ram Heartless were charging right for them, heads held down and ready to smash with their horns. Riku called up a wall of opaque, shadowy energy, the Heartless crashing against the bulwark, causing it to shake and tremble, but not falter. Riku struggled underneath the pressure and strength of the assault, trying to push back against them and provide some measure of escape. However, that hope was soon quashed, as a high-pitched whistling sound entered his ears. Checking over his shoulder, the dark Keyblade Warrior saw they had been flanked by the fiery snakes, who had launched a salvo of their firebombs at the siblings.

_Think fast, Riku!_ With the blazing bombs coming from behind, and the rampaging rams coming from ahead, Riku dealt with the closest problem first. Charging forward, Riku punched into his dark barrier, the energy responding to his fist and the impact of the punch, surging outward in a torrent of rippling darkness that washed over and scattered the ram Heartless. Then, with the energy still storming around his hand, Riku spun about to face his sister – who looked terrified and confused at what was happening – and hurled the remaining darkness energy at her, instead of the snake Heartless. Bending to his will, the darkness spiraled around his sister's body, who now looked even more freaked out but was practically rooted to the ground, cocooning her in the remnants of his barrier.

The moment he finished sealing her away, the bombs hit he ground, detonating, Riku being caught up in the burning blast.

The darkness-user was sent flying through the air, without time to defend or dodge, clothing and hair singed, before crashing onto the windshield of a nearby car. The glass shattered under his frame, shards digging into his back and head, as he rolled off the hood and landed on the ground in a heap. The moment the smoke and the fire cleared, Riku peered to see what had befallen his sister.

The good news: his barrier had held up underneath the blast and Izuka was safe.

The bad news: the blast had sapped the last strength of the shield, leaving her defenseless while surrounded by Heartless.

Said Heartless began their perilous approach.

"Stay back!" Riku roared at the demons, hurling Way to the Dawn at one of the rams. The navy blade scythed through the air, easily decapitating the Heartless, before whirling and revolving around Izuka, warding off the remaining fiends. Never one to play passively, Riku summoned a tether of shadows, wound it about his right arm, and hooked the other end around the hilt of his Keyblade. Riku whipped his makeshift flail about in a controlled frenzy, slashing and crushing the Heartless, while avoiding his sister. The violent whirlwind did the trick, annihilating both the rams and the snakes, while leaving Izuka untouched.

Retracting the tether and returning his Keyblade to his hand, Riku staggered forward. The explosion and his trip into the glass had hurt him more than he would like to realize. It was his fault for not wearing any of his enchanted clothing. Or was he just weaker in this dream world? Did the test only want him to be as strong as needed? It didn't matter. Riku began to move towards Izuka, who was still paralyzed in fright. All that mattered was that he needed to save his sister.

_Why does that matter?_ A thought emerged from the darker corner of his mind. _It's not real. None of this is real. That's not really Kanon or Izuka. You're getting hurt protecting figments of your imagination. Why bother?_

Riku stopped dead in his tracks.

Why was he bothering? Why waste the effort protecting them when it didn't matter? All that mattered was finding this corruption and rooting it our, and that was undeniably the Cruel Angler Heartless.

So what was he doing?

As if sensing Riku's doubts and thoughts, the Cruel Angler itself emerged from beneath the ground, imposing it's form between the siblings. Izuka cried out in fear, which was enough to snap Riku back into reality. Even if it wasn't real, everything sure felt and sounded real.

Rearing back up into a battle stance, Riku was quickly blindsided by the Heartless, as it span it's serpentine body around, smashing him in the face with it's tail. Once more, Riku was sent flying away, hurtling towards a pile of rubble, in which he landed ribs first. The wind driven from his lungs, Riku crumbled to the ground, but began to crawl his way back towards the Heartless.

And his sister.

Who was currently being pinned against the wall of a building, as the Angler menacingly advanced towards her.

"Riku, Riku, Riku!" Izuka called out in panic, her earlier frustrations over her brother forgotten, as she desperately cried out for salvation. "Please, save me!"

The way the Heartless was acting, Riku could swear, it was enjoying and salivating in the distress it was creating in both him and his sister. But that couldn't possibly be correct, right? The Heartless had no emotions, no capacity for higher thought...

"Just hold on, Izuka... I'm coming!" Riku ignored the pain in his ribs and back and got up to his feet, Way to the Dawn armed and ready. Come hell or high water, questions or doubts regardless, he would prove himself wrong and save his sister. "I'll save you, don't worry!"

Riku charged forward, but was just a fraction too late.

The moment Riku took his first step, the Heartless struck, goring Izuka straight through with one of it's clawed fins. The tall, slight girl went limp against the protrusion within her body, the light within her eyes fading away.

Riku felt as if his heart was going to shatter, as – like Kanon before her – Izuka's body vanished into nothingness, a miscoloured Shadow Heartless rising in her place.

A torrent of emotion exploded outward from the usually reserved and controlled man. Rage and sorrow and despair and self-loathing. It all came rushing forth as Riku bellowed curses and invectives at the Heartless, and at himself.

Once more, the Angler proved both sly and slippery, fading into the ground as a shadow the moment Riku approached, escaping the wrath of the raging Key Bearer. This did nothing to quell Riku's anger, as he continued to scream and yell in futility, thrashing about and striking anything with his Keyblade.

Then his eyes fell on the Shadow, and the storm ceased, as Riku sunk to his knees, and began to slowly approach the little fiend.

"ZuZu... I'm so sorry." Riku babbled in a miserable tone, reduced to a broken wreck. This shouldn't be effecting him this much. It was just an illusion. And yet, here he was. "I never should have involved you guys in this. I should have stayed away. I should have learned! I'm poison, and everything I touch is ruined and destroyed. The Islands, Roxas, Namine, and now you guys..." He had reached the point where Izuka vanished and her Heartless was born, grovelling over the spot where his sister once stood.

The Shadow studied Riku with it's cold, soulless eyes, before lashing out at him, swiping his cheek with it's clawed hands.

On it's own, the attack was nothing – three shallow scratches on his cheek that burned slightly – but it was everything else about the attack that pushed Riku over the edge. He fell to his hands and knees and howled in agony; deep, wrenching soul-pains.

_I don't understand! Why is this happening? Why do I always fail to save the people I love!?_ Riku clutched his head, as his mental state continued to fray and deteriorate. _Even after all I've been through, even after all the power I've acquired, I'm still completely helpless! There's nothing I can do for them! And why do I even care? It's just a dream, a simulation – none of this is real. That wasn't actually mom and Izuka becoming Heartless, so what does it matter? Why am I even wasting my time here?_

"Why does it hurt so much to lose them!?"

_Because even if they aren't real, even if you distanced yourself from your family, you aren't so wicked as to feel nothing towards them. Whatever you think of yourself, you're a better person than that..._

Just like his earlier thoughts had originated from a darker portion of his psyche, these thoughts came from the brightest portion. To the extent that Riku didn't even hear them in his own mental voice, but in the voices of his better halves – Sora and Kairi and Mickey. Riku felt his heart come to ease, his mind settling down. Slowly, with the reassurance of the people he treasured the most – the people that believed in him the most – Riku stood back up.

"You guys... even when we're separated by a dream, you always have my back..." Riku muttered to himself. He stared down the Shadow that had stolen his sister's heart.. "What would you saps tell me if you were here now, huh? 'I never give up no matter what'? 'Even if I fail, I always stand back up, that's what make me strong'? 'The power I need has always been with me'?"

Like a bolt of lightning, a moment of clarity struck Riku.

Turning his eyes away from the Heartless, he looked down at the Keyblade he held.

_The power I need has always been with me..._

It was true that Riku only ever cared for the Keyblade in terms of the power it provided him; pure, raw physical power, the kind used to destroy the monster that would threaten the people he loved and held dear. But he never put much stock in his duties as a Key Bearer, nor the other abilities it could provide him. He never went about saving people or touching their lives; he wasn't a guardian of the Princesses of Heart; he never went out hunting for Keyholes or Blackheart Stones. It was a weapon to fight back against the forces of evil. A tool to grant him more strength, nothing more.

But, there was one power that he was always using, even if Riku was never consciously aware of it. And right here, right now, that power would be his salvation.

_Mickey had once told me it, way back when._ Riku shut his eyes, and recalled the words of the Mouse King._ When a Heartless is destroyed by most means, it only vanishes temporarily. It's body will eventually reform, good as new. But, when destroyed by the Keyblade, it's body is destroyed permanently, and the heart held captive within is released, and that being will be reborn anew._

Riku looked at his Keyblade. Then at the Shadow Heartless before him.

His eyes hardened, cold and solid as steel, with a determined look forming on his face.

With one fluid motion, Riku lunged forward and slashed the Shadow in twain, one blow from Way to the Dawn was all it took. The Heartless disintegrated into black mist. From the remnants of it's twisted body, Riku saw a crystalline heart rise up into the air, before vanishing to hearts unknown.

His very being swelled and soared when he saw that heart. It was a sign he had done the right thing.

Or, rather, that he had made the right choice to rectify his earlier mistake.

Further into town, Riku could pick up the unmistakable sounds of Heartless attacking, followed by people screaming in terror.

Somewhere out there, both his mother's Heartless, and the Cruel Angler Heartless, still lurked on the island.

Riku began to move forward, Keyblade in hand, ready to keep on fighting.

"I'm no hero. That would be Sora or Kairi. I can't save anyone. That makes me nothing more than a destroyer. But... maybe, just maybe, I can protect someone else by destroying whatever stands in my way."

**-D/D/D-**

Riku moved as if he were a one-man army.

With precise focus and intense resolve, Riku traversed through the downtown of Salm, eliminating every Heartless in his path with extreme prejudice, while keeping his eyes peeled for one in particular.

As Riku waged his war against the darklings, he stuck to a basic strategy. Target large groups that threatened civilians. Direct those civilians toward the path he just traveled from, as it was free of Heartless. Make as much noise and commotion as possible to draw as much attention to himself as possible; make the Heartless prioritize him, not the people. When he had the Heartless in his sights, attack with big, fast attacks to destroy as many Heartless as quickly as possible. And all the while he was ever vigilant to spot a discoloured Shadow Heartless among the hordes. Fortunately, every other type of Heartless he faced – the rocky rams, the searing snakes, and everything else – were Emblem types, not Purebloods. At least one thing was breaking correctly for him today...

Finishing up the last few Heartless in the area – annihilating a pair of rams with an exploding geyser of darkness – Riku finally saw it out of the corner of his eye. A singular Shadow Heartless with strangely coloured limbs. The only other Pureblood he had seen all day.

"Sorry about this, mom..." Riku apologized, a tinge of sarcasm in his voice. He had somethings he needed to atone for. This was not one of them.

Summoning another tether of shadows, Riku launched it from his left hand outward, ensnaring the Shadow and dragging it across the street towards him. He could have just launched a bolt of darkness or any other sort of attack, but Riku wanted to strike this thing down with his Keyblade. Just to be certain.

With a single, leaping upward slash, Riku cleaved the Shadow in half, releasing the heart held hostage within. As soon as he saw it, Riku let out an overdue sigh of relief. He wasn't sure how long it took for a person to return to life after being transformed into a Heartless. He had never consciously or knowingly done something like this before. He didn't know if there were any lingering side effects, memories of what happened, or trauma. But he did know that, even if they were only recreations in a dream, he had saved his mother and sister from a horrible fate.

But, Riku knew he couldn't focus on any of that right now. He was on a mission. He had a test to complete. And, to do that, there was a corruption he needed to find and finish off.

_A gross, eel-like, smiling corruption._

Said corruption arrived unceremoniously, crashing into Riku and bowling him over through sheer force of speed and it's mass. Riku tumbled to the ground, but quickly recovered to a standing base, staring down the Cruel Angler, which swam through the air, anticipating the move of it's nemesis.

"Well, you spared me the trouble of hunting you down." Riku spat out, holding his Keyblade above his head in his typical stance. A fearsome aura in the form of a cloak of flame, purples and dark blues, appeared around the silver-haired Key Bearer. "You've been nothing but a pain in the ass, so I'll be sure to make this quick!"

Before Riku could make the motion to attack, however, the Heartless lowered itself to the ground, it's bulbous lure glowing and changing in size and shape. In an instance, the fleshy bulb at the end of the lure had transformed into a perfect likeness of Kanon Harukaze.

Riku came to a stop, huffing violently, gnashing his teeth together. "What is this? More mind games?"

"Why are you doing this, Riku?" The likeness of his mother asked him in a hollow, empty voice. The similarity was almost uncanny, except for the fact that her eyes, her voice, and her movements were all lifeless. "Why are you like this? How did you become nothing but rage and hatred? Someone who snaps at his family when all they are trying to do is help." Riku bristled at the emotionless rant. "You understand how broken you are, don't you? You severed ties with me so easily, do you really think you can hold on to any relationship?" The Angler began to swim in a circle around Riku, giving the impression that Kanon was stalking him, as well. "You're a monster. A beast. A destroyer. In time, you'll push away everyone who cares about you, just like you've done with me and Izuka. Sora. Kairi. Mickey. Anyone and everyone... You'll be all alone, with only your hatred and your pride to keep you company."

Taking a center breath, Riku pushed away the anger and anxiety in his being, pushed away the stinging words of the phantom.

A murky black portal appeared on the ground before him.

"Mom. Wherever you are." Riku said, looking beyond the Heartless and the facsimile it puppeteered. His mother was out there, somewhere – both the one in the dream and the one in the real world – and he hoped his words could reach her, somehow. "I want to say I'm sorry. For how I spoke to you today, I never meant to hurt your feelings and widen the gulf between us."

Riku thrust his Keyblade downward into the portal. Rising out of the ground beneath the Heartless was a jagged sword blade form of darkness energy. It rose up through the air, but didn't strike the main body of the Angler. Instead, the blade pierced through the the strand of the lure, severing it and the fake Kanon from the Heartless.

The Angler reared back in mock pain, as Riku watched the false version of his mother evaporate into black mist.

"But I meant every word I said today, I was speaking from the heart. I will never apologize for who I am. And I will never diverge from the path I make for myself." Riku stared down the Heartless, who somehow looked terrified. The aura around Riku had never faded and, in fact, and only grown in intensity. "So long as I stay true to myself, I'll never lose the things I hold dear, that's a lesson I learned a long time ago.

"So come on, you ugly bastard! Let's finish this!"

Riku challenged the Heartless, and the Heartless ran, sinking back into the earth and slithering away.

"_And_ you're a cowardly shit on top of everything else!" Riku barked out, as the darkness around him swirled in time with his anger. "But you're not running away again."

In a flash, one of Riku's aquamarine eyes turned bright gold.

**[_CRITICAL DARKNESS: Dark Gaia Catacylsm!_]**

Riku slammed the blade of Way to Dawn into the ground, sending out rivulets of shadows from the point of contact that raced along the ground, towards where the Heartless and vanished and along it's path of retreat. With the shadowy roots spread out across the earth, Riku raised his Keyblade back up, causing twisted spires of black stone to appear – not growing from the earth, simply conjured over top it. Still, the eruption of stones had the desire effect, forcing the Heartless out of it's hiding place in the shadows, hurling it into the air, with one of the stones piercing into the foul flesh of the beast, rending one of it's fins clear off.

The Angler crashed to the ground and struggled to get back into the air, still intent on running away from the Key Bearer.

The aura around Riku flared up again, as his other iris turned golden, as well.

"The real sad part about this is, despite all the grief you've caused me, you're nowhere near my level!"

**[_CRITICAL DARKNESS: Sudden Shadow Severance!_]**

Mimicking the Heartless, and it's manner of escape, Riku sank into the ground, compressing his body into a black blob that streaked towards it's prey, the tip of Way to Dawn rising out of the blob, like a shark fin cresting through the surf, just for added effect. When Riku got right underneath the airborne Heartless, he emerged from the pool of darkness, accompanied by two shadowy doppelgangers of himself, wielding swords of blazing blackness. Riku and his two clones split apart, standing in a triangular formation around the Angler, the movements of the shadow clones perfectly mirroring Riku's own. In unison, Riku and his copies sailed into the air, towards the helpless Heartless, perfectly pincering it on all sides. Each of the Rikus attacked with a single, smooth sword slash, cutting straight through the body of the beast – the clones chopped off the Angler's head and tail, while Riku himself bifurcated the monster at the midsection.

Riku landed on the ground, striking a victorious pose, his eyes returning to normal, his aura dissipating, his clones vanishing, as the remains of the Heartless vanished into the ether, Riku letting loose a boisterous victory cry.

"When I'm running at top gear, there's nothing that can stop me!"

**-D/D/D-**

Nightfall came to the small town of Salm, bringing an ounce of peace with it.

With the demise of the Angler, the Heartless incursion came to an end. Hopefully it would be a long, long time before such an attack would happen again.

As soon as he confirmed that the downtown area was safe and secure, Riku made his exit to elsewhere, just as the professionals got to work. Police, paramedics, and fire brigades all arrived at the scene of the disaster and got to work providing aid and assistance to those effected by the demon's onslaught.

Real heroes. Everyone of them.

Almost immediately after he felled the final Heartless, Riku could see a glimmering Keyhole just off in the distance. No matter where he went, he could always see it out of the corner of his eye. He figured that it was a signal he had past this stage of the test, as well as his ticket out of this world. But... Riku wanted to stay, just a little while longer.

He wanted to see for himself, the fruits of his labour.

Scaling to the top of the apartment building – the building that he once called home, in the real world – to get a vantage point, looking over the sleepy town, as it healed from the vicious attack that just took place, Riku reflected on the events of the day.

_What a massive pain in the ass..._ Riku grumbled in thought, ignoring the Keyhole just beyond his range of vision. _Throwing my own past in my face like this, having to deal with mom and Izuka... having them get caught up in all this... I swear, if Yen Sid had a hand in designing this world, I'll punch him in his three-hundred year old face._ Riku's hand curled into a fist out of rage. This entire test had been a nightmare, and he definitely felt venting some of that frustration at someone or something.

Letting his hand slack, Riku expelled some of that rage with a weary sign. "I wish Sora or Kairi were here..." If they were, certainly they would have been able to keep him in line, keep his anger in check. Even having them for lunch with his family would have been nice. And then there was the incident with the Heartless...

_Sora would have never let his family be turned into Heartless. He would have flashed that dumb smile of his and told everyone "It will be okay" and then get to work. Kairi would have just been a beacon of hope and light for everyone around her and then try her hardest to win. Once she gets an idea in her head, she never gives up._

Those two, his best friends, they were true heroes in every sense of the word. Bold. Brave. Selfless. Kind. Caring. Willing to help all those in need.

_Sora always says the Keyblade was meant to protect the smiles and dreams of everyone._

_Kairi always says she wants to mend the wounds inflicted on the hearts of others._

"Even after all I've been through, I'm still so far behind the both of you..."

Riku lingered in the world a little while longer. The sun fully set on the sleepy township, electric lights illuminating against the darkness. He could still spot the red flashing lights of emergency vehicles, signaling that recovery efforts were still on going.

In truth, he wanted to stay a little longer to see if it had worked. If by slaying those two Shadows, his mother and sister had returned to life. Obviously, from where he stood, far above the streets of town, there was no way for him to personally know, but he felt like he didn't deserve contact with them after how he had acted today. No matter what he told himself, a niggling part of his mind echoed the fact that he had driven his mother away by the way he spoke to her. That he couldn't be there when his sister needed him the most. From where he stood, he had no way of knowing whether or not they had returned to life as of yet, but, just maybe, his heart would help divine the truth. That whatever slight and frayed bonds he still had with his family would inform him of their resurrection.

"Man, I've been doing this for so long and I still don't know exactly what I'm doing..." Riku lamented, before a thought came to him. He had been doing this for quite sometime...

_How many Heartless have I slain in my lifetime. Is it in the thousands? Tens or hundreds of thousands? Maybe in the millions? How many hearts have I freed? How many families and loved ones were reunited by my actions?_

Riku clutched at his chest, feeling that core within his heart where his Keyblade was nestled in. That power had always been with him, always serving him, even if he never quite realized it. But, the thought that he had helped people – even through violent acts, and in a roundabout way – well... it made him feel warm inside. Good. Pleased. As if his actions mattered for once.

Riku stood up and turned to face the Keyhole.

As much as he wanted to know firsthand that his mom and sister were safe, he didn't really have time for it now. He had to believe in himself, in his power, and that their hearts would find their way home.

But, for now, Riku had more important matters to attend to.

"Mom. Izuka." Riku said softly, referring to and addressing the Kanon and Izuka not of this world, but of the real world. He hoped that, for whatever cruel twist of fate, they were okay and spared the tragedy of their dream world counterparts. "Wherever you two are right now... I hope you're better off. And... I'm sorry we've been so distant. That I've been so distant. Maybe, one day soon, we can do something like this and reconnect. And I can avoid the mistakes of today.

"Maybe, for once, I can learn from my past and become a better me."

Riku held Way to Dawn up to the Keyhole, quickly firing a ray of darkness into the rift in reality.

Beyond this portal would be more challenges. More trials. More tribulations. And, Riku was certain, more points where he would be forced to stare himself in the mirror and come to terms with some other part of him.

"I've conquered the darkness within me, time and time again. I'll conquer whatever other fears and insecurities dwell in my heart, too. This is the path that I've chosen, and I won't let anything stop me!"

One final declaration of confidence rang through the air, one last spark of defiance radiated in the night, as Riku left the Destiny Islands behind me – just like he had in real life – and felt himself pulled deeper into the dream.

* * *

**Combat Log Entry #003 – Riku the Key Bearer**

Riku Akiyama

Job Class: Key Bearer – Dark Knight  
Weapon: The Keyblade, Way to Dawn  
Elemental Affinities: Darkness

(Rated on a scale of Very High, High, Above Average, Average, Below Average, Low, Very Low)  
Offensive Capability: Very High  
Defensive Capability: Average  
Support Capability: Extremely Low

(Rated on a scale of 1-10)  
Power: 10/10  
Agility: 8/10  
Stamina: 9/10  
Magic: 0/10  
Technique: 8/10  
Intelligence: 8/10  
Teamwork: 3/10

**Strengths**

-Through training and exposure, his heart and body are wholly inured to the darkness and negative energies, protecting him from physical damage, and the corruptive effects.

-Also possesses a complete mastery of wielding the darkness as a weapon, utilizing it in unique and destructive means.

-Utilizes a vicious and aggressive fighting style that combines fearsome power and well-honed technique, along with endless courage and determination, allows him to overwhelm and annihilate enemies.

**Weaknesses**

-Lacks any magic potential – as his darkness is not technically magic – as well as any diversity in his elemental powers. Against foes with elemental weakness or who are similarly resistant to darkness will give him dire trouble.

-Can be too aggressive and reckless in combat, leaving himself open or pushing his body and spirit too far.

-Use to working alone, and his hesitant to accepting the help of others. Lacks the near-universal chemistry of Kairi and Sora.

-Lacks any way of healing others, and can only heal himself through limited Drain attacks.

* * *

_And so Riku comes to terms with some elements of his tumultuous past, gaining some insight on some old, frayed bonds, completing the first leg of his test._

_-So obviously I have a tendency to write Riku on the border of OOC: much more moody, angry, I believe "rude" is a descriptor that's been thrown around. And I do hope that it's not too much of a distraction and that my reasoning makes sense. Part of it is I do want a character who thinks and acts differently from Sora and Kairi. Someone more cynical and abrasive, with an edge to them. To make sure everyone doesn't have the same homogeneous worldview. But, also, I tend to view Riku as a character who has failed a lot, has learned from those failures, but still hasn't moved on from them. He has a lot of self-loathing because of what has happened to him in the past, which he internalizes, and that causes him to lash out at bad times._

_Again, I do hope my logic makes sense._

_-But, more importantly, a big thing I want to make note of in this chapter is something that has been going on in the past three chapters: how our three heroes perceive themselves and they compare themselves to their friends. Specifically, Kairi believes she is the weakest of the trio because she lacks the confidence and experience the boys have; Sora believes he is the weak link because he lacks the innate specialness that Kairi and Riku have; Riku believes he is the weakest of the bunch because he isn't a real hero like the others, lacking that selfless effort and easy charm that helps Sora and Kairi not just win, but save others._

_All three see themselves as being the weakest, for one reason or another, all for because of traits they think they lack and envy and want. Now, who is the weakest? Eh... I'll let you decide that for the time being, dear traveler, but sometimes perception means the world to a person._

_Beyond that, at this point in this continuity, Sora, Kairi, and Riku have all had their own solo adventures and their own chance to be the star, but this story is about them sharing the spotlight and rising to an even keel. All three of them on the same level, equivalent to one another, as the new heroes of the Realm of Light. Because, honestly, this is a directing Kingdom Hearts should have taken a looooong time ago. Kairi has been around since the first game, she's the second character we're introduced to and, not once in the 17 years of this franchise, have Sora, Kairi, and Riku been portrayed as equals. Or, rather, not once has Kairi been portrayed as an equal to Sora and Riku. It is baffling how they have bungled something this simple and are still screwing it up to this day. How badly they have missed the mark._

_Sora. Kairi. Riku. Our Bestiny Trinity. Heroes united as one. As it should be._

_But, we still have one more chapter before the first arc of this story comes to a close. Next time, we'll pull out of the dream and check in on Aqua and what's been going on in the real world. Oh, and, a very, very special someone makes their grand debut._

_Get excited, everyone._

_To all those who have offered support for the story, thank you very much, it means the world to me. And, if you want to share any thoughts you may have, never hesitate to do so. All constructive comments are welcomed._

_Until next time, keep moving on your own journey, dear traveler._


	10. The Destroyer of Worlds

**DDD****  
The Dreamers, The Destroyer, and The Departed  
Chapter Ten  
The Destroyer Of Worlds**

Aqua hated waiting.

It was not that she was an impatient person, far from it, in fact. Her long period of training under Master Eraqus had taught her the virtues of poise and self-restraint. Aqua prided herself on the level of discipline she possessed. In fact, frequently, Master Eraqus would design exams to test the patience of his pupils, forcing them to mediate or solve simple puzzles while bombarding their senses with light and sound conjured by his magic, and Aqua always, always outlasted Terra and Ventus. No matter how hard Ven or Terra – especially Terra, who could just be so competitive and stubborn – tried, they would always fall short of her efforts. It was -

Aqua caught herself. Caught her reminiscing upon happier times. They were pleasant memories, but just memories all the same. She couldn't afford to let herself be lost within the chambers of her own mind.

_But, one day... Terra... Ven... I promise you both..._

Aqua let out a forlorn sigh.

She was a patient woman, but she hated waiting.

But, it seemed waiting was her lot in life. Ten years wandering the darkness, in desperate search of salvation. And even now, back in the light, it was more searching and seeking and waiting. Every angle she pursued in her quest to return her friends to the realm of the living only brought her to a dead end without fail. Frustration and stress would mount, but Aqua had sworn a solemn vow that she would not rest in her journey, no matter the hurdles she had to overcome, no matter how long it would take her. Master Eraqus may have be dead and gone, but there was still hope for Terra and Ventus. And as long as Aqua had hope, she would persevere.

Still, she could not deny the frustration whenever her leads ran dry or a promising glimmer turned into an empty mirage. Having another outlet helped to ease the annoyance and helplessness she felt in her worse moments. With Yen Sid long retired from wielding the Keyblade, and with Mickey having an entire kingdom to govern, Aqua felt that it behooved her, as the only other Master in the Realm of Light, to keep watch and guide the three young Key Bearers she had come to know and befriend. Even if she had only taken one under an official apprenticeship, and even if she didn't always see eye to eye with all of them on all opinions, Aqua cherished Sora, Kairi, and Riku and would do anything to safeguard them and their friendship.

_After all, they too were scattered across the stars, but unlike us, they were able to reunite. To come back together. They deserve some sort of commendation for accomplishing what we couldn't._

The three young Bearers are what had brought her here, what kept her here, despite all this infernal waiting. To watch over them and their progress as they ventured on their Mark of Mastery exams, only a little over an hour having passed since the tests began. Admittedly, Aqua found that maybe her presence wasn't wholly necessary; Kairi, Sora, and Riku slept peacefully in the other room, while she and Yen Sid stayed secluded within his study. The wizened sorcerer kept his gaze firmly locked on his crystal ball, peering into the magical object and keeping stock of the progress of the three tests. Occasionally, he would update Aqua on the current status of the three, whenever a drastic change came. At last blush, Sora had just cleared his first trial, while Kairi and Riku were coming close to passing as well. Once all three of them succeeded in the first stage, they would all awaken in the next world.

Pride and arrogance may be things Keyblade Masters should always be in control of, but Aqua couldn't help but smile, feel her heart swell up, whenever updates about her apprentice came her way. She knew her faith in Kairi was well placed, and that the young woman would rise to the challenge with flying colours.

Still, besides wait around for new information, there was not much for Aqua to do to pass the time in heart of Yen Sid's tower. The elder Master needed his concentration to scry upon the three constructed worlds, meaning conversation was out of the question, Furthermore, Aqua lacked the aptitude with the specific kind of magical talent required to use the crystal ball, meaning all she saw within the glassy sphere were the indistinct form of smoke and shadows. Aqua did have a task to do today, but it was still much too early to perform it, not to mention she needed more solid knowledge on the performance of the three Key Bearers first.

And, so, all there really left for Aqua to do was to maintain her composure and wait.

_Maybe I should have brought a book to read..._

Aqua hated waiting.

Fortunately, or unfortunately, things were about to take a drastic turn, and Aqua would find herself doing more than just waiting for her friends to complete an exam.

"Aqua, I have come to realize we have an unwanted visitor waiting outside. I would ask you to handle the situation, if you could be so kind."

Yen Sid spoke so suddenly, his words almost completely sailed right by her.

"A visitor? How?" It wasn't as if the Mysterious Tower was the easiest place in the Realm of Light to gain access, too. Typically, if you using conventional means like a Gummi Ship or Keyblade Glider, you either needed to know where the Tower was (difficult, as it moved through the stars) or to have been previously invited by Yen Sid himself. Aqua felt a moment of unease flutter through her at the mention of an "unwanted visitor".

"I do not know by what means they came here, nor what they intend to do, but we cannot afford any interruptions to this test." Yen Sid's eyes remained locked onto the images projected in the ball as he spoke, but his tone was as clear as the crystal he gazed into. "But I trust in your abilities to keep this tower and our three young Bearers safe."

Aqua nodded, resolutely. "Absolutely. I'll see to it right away."

Just as she had done an hour prior, Aqua hurriedly made her way down the ever-winding, never-ending flights of stairs that coiled up within the body of the tower. Eager as she was to do something other than waiting, and even with her mind set on handling whatever sort of intruder had made it's way to this sanctum, she still found herself agonizing over the act of scaling the tower, yet again. Would it kill Master Yen Sid to install a teleportation circle, or an elevator? Anything? Anything besides numerous steps upon a near-infinite spiral stairwell with invisible magic guard rails so one couldn't even jump down or up the center to skip a few stories?

When Aqua finally finished her descent (mentally bracing for the reality that would soon have to ascend the blasted things once more), she took a moment to catch her breath and regain her composure. To look every bit of the role of the strong-willed, determined Keyblade Master she projected out onto the world.

Aqua exited the tower proper, opening the doors unto the tiny island that made up the landmass of the this miniature world – a grassy plane existing a swirling sea of stars – to immediately spot the intruder, standing around on the farthest tip of the island.

They may have been the strangest looking individual she had ever encountered.

The figure was bipedal – certainly humanoid in body proportions, at the very least – and clad head-to-toe in armour; not a bare centimeter of anything remotely organic was rendered to the world. The composition of the armour was bizarre, too, Aqua had never seen anything quite like it. Whatever material it was made of, it contained only the slightest of metallic sheen, and there was a boxiness at points that made the whole set up seem cumbersome. It certainly lacked the defined sleekness of Aqua's own armour. The majority of the helmet was smooth and featureless – coloured a bright, blaring magenta hue – save for the mask mounted on the front, obscuring the intruder's face. Two great eyepieces – large and multifaceted, like crystalline emerald, almost insect-like – formed a visor on the mask, consuming most of the surface of the face, while nine black vertical lines of varying height dotted the face-plate, evenly spread out across, and even blending into the visor at points. The remainder of the armour donned on his body was split into three colours: the same bright magenta of the mask covered the boxy plated and squared shoulders and traveled down the figure's ribs and the outer edge of it's legs. A central streak of black dominated the chest of the suit, once more traveling vertically down the waist and pelvis, as well as lines along the middle of the arms and legs, bleeding into the boots and gloves of the armour. Finally, sparse points of white lined the inside edge of the arms and legs. A lopsided "X" was blazed at the left shoulder, with one arm growing long across the chest diagonally.

Finally, a belt was attached at the waist of the visitor, with a large, almost impractical buckle set in the center, and divided into two halves. The dominant portion was square and, once more, coloured bright magenta, with a glass lens set in the middle of the square. Eighteen symbols – too small to make out from this distance – were etched in a circle around the lens. The outer edges that encased the square hub were a matte black, rounded rectangular in shape, and they almost looked like... hand grips? As if someone could hold on to them for some function. But, for what function, Aqua wondered.

As the blue-haired Key Bearer took in the entirety of the armoured figure, they only stood off the side, barely noticing or reacting to her. Their body language suggested a level of nonchalance and detachment, as they held a square plastic binder in hand, seemingly engrossed within the contents held within.

"You know... it's rude to keep people waiting on your door step. And to stare at them without saying a word? Tsk, tsk..."

The invader spoke. Masculine. Deep. Weary. Dripping with sarcasm. He didn't even bother to look up from the binder he carried.

Aqua's expression only grew more cross, as she called Rain Fall to her hand, taking a threatening stance. "Who are you, and what do you want?"

This, at the least, seemed to grab his attention, as the armoured figure looked up from the binder, tilting his head as he appraised Aqua. "Straight to the point, huh?" The masked helmet made him inscrutable and unreadable. Aqua found that combination beyond irritating. "Well, if you must know, I came by here 'cause I heard you had a couple of Key Bearers locked in there." With his left hand, he gestured at the spire behind her. "Those three kids that saved all of creation, taking their Mark of Mastery exam. You're using the Constructed World spell, right?" Aqua flinched. The only people who knew this was taking place here and now were her, Master Yen Sid, Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy, and Sora's mother. How this stranger knew all this was beyond her. "So, I figured I would drop by and pay a visit. Finally introduce my illustrious self to those three, you know, put 'em through their paces. Rough them up a bit.

"And, if they aren't up to snuff, maybe I'll just put them out of their misery..."

Darker and darker did Aqua's expression grow, as her lips curled, letting out a snarling huff of air. Whoever this person was, they had hit a sore spot for the blue-haired Master. Threatening her cherished friends. Trying to take the people she loved away.

Never again.

"I suggest you leave this place at once." Aqua warned with a steely gaze, now holding Rain Fall towards the intruder, it's spiked tip leveled at his head.

The armoured man didn't seem all too concerned.

"Alright. Alright." Slowly, he shut the binder's cover and brought a hand to it's bottom portion. "I still quite haven't found my way in yet, so I'll humour you." With deliberate and well-honed motions, the man pulled at the bottom piece, the black section pivoted out, aligning itself with the diagonal of the binder, set against the corner. From the opposite end, a thin sword-blade extended outward. "Besides, I could use a warm-up, and it'll be fun to test myself against a real Keyblade Master."

The invader ran his palm against the flat of his transformed sword, before swiping at the air. To Aqua, it seemed as if his visor gleamed with malicious anticipation.

Aqua took her stance and watched. Waited. Angry as she was, it would do her know good if she charged in blindly against an unknown foe with unknown abilities. Tenants and mantras that had been hammered into the core of her being flooded back to her.

_Anger and rage move the body, but cloud the mind._

_Do not rush against an unknown threat. Patience will reward you more than speed._

_Let composure and discipline be your armour; keep your opponent guessing at all times._

_Plan with clarity. Move with decisiveness. Fight with intensity._

And so, Aqua waited, feet spread wide and firmly planted into the grassy turf. She waited and observed, eyes tracked on her opponent, ready to react and defend at a moment's notice. The magenta armoured man took the initiative and the first move, slowly approaching Aqua with heavy footfalls. Closing the gap, his speed gradually picked up with every step, arms and armament held at his sides. When moving at (presumably) top-speed, the invader actually seemed rather quick and light on his feet, despite his cumbersome armour.

As the intruder made a beeline towards Aqua, she quickly thought over his threats. He knew of the Constructed World. He implied that he could somehow visit Sora, Kairi, and Riku within those worlds. That should be impossible, but Aqua was taking no chances. She would draw an invisible line across the ground, cutting the landmass in half, separating the man from the tower. Whatever happened, she would not allow him to cross that line and access the tower. She would now allow him to hurt the three sleeping Key Bearers.

Whatever it would take.

The magenta intruder finally came into range, lunging forward and thrusting his sword at her midsection. It was clumsy and slow, clearly just an exploratory strike, designed to test out Aqua. It seemed her opponent valued patience and knowledge, too.

With a sweep of her Keyblade, Aqua easily parried the strike, batting the thin sword to the left. To her surprise, this ripped the weapon from his grip. Maybe, despite appearances and threats, this intruder wasn't all he seemed to be. However, as Aqua grinned victoriously, and as the sword tumbled in the air, the armoured man's left hand struck forward and snatched the weapon, before quickly striking again. A few more thrusts aimed at Aqua's head. They were lightning quick but more clumsy than before, but Aqua still barely had time to avoid being sliced up the thin blade.

_All that... was that feint planned?_

As Aqua retreated, the warrior spun his body around, switching his weapon between hands again. Now, clearly back in his dominant hand, the assault continued. Both Aqua and the unknown clashed, their weapons striking against each other repeatedly, constantly switching between who was attacker and who was defender, but whoever played which role, they each perfectly parried the other's flurry of blows. Swordsmanship was never Aqua's domain or specialty, but she certainly considered herself a cut above the average warrior. This intruder himself seemed to be no slouch, either.

Once more, Aqua used a sweeping blow to bat aside her foe's weapon, before taking two quick swipes at their midsection. The armoured man took slow, careful steps backwards to avoid the attacks, before blocking another one of Aqua's slashes, this time the two warriors locking their blades.

Aqua's face screwed up in concentration as she stared into the lifeless eyes of the mask, barely able to glimpse her own reflection in the emerald glass.

"Got to admit, you're definitely the strongest person I've fought in a long while." The unknown intoned, as he pressed his blade and his body closer, metal grinding against metal and unleashing a horrid sound. Aqua did not back down. "I would love to take my time and have some fun with you, but..." With great speed and precsion, the intruder's sword rose up the length of Rain Fall, before hooking underneath the teeth of the Keyblade. "I have more important things to deal with."

Without warning, Aqua found her wrist seized by the armoured-plated left hand of her opponent. Having taken the advantage by taking a hold of her body and entraping her Keyblade at the latticed teeth. With that leverage awarded to him, the intruder overpowered Aqua, bending her arm at an awkward angle so that it was over behind her shoulder, with Rain Fall now pointing towards the ground. The entire time, Aqua struggled against her assailant, trying to break the grip or move away or do anything, but the intruder now seemed to possess a monstrous strength that wasn't evident in his sword strikes. She was being completely overpowered by raw brute force, he entire being being dragged closer and closer to the ground.

All of her struggling amounted to nothing, as the blue-haired woman soon found herself flipping through the air. The armoured assailant used his position of dominance to force her body to twist end over end, Aqua crashing to grass on her back. Only then did the stranger release his grip, rearing his sword up for a vicious blow against his prone opponent.

Unfortunately, if Aqua's foe had made one and only mistake, it was releasing the Keyblade Master from his iron grip, and giving her space.

Quickly – as quick as she possibly could move – Aqua dismissed Rain Fall, rolled onto her belly, and propped her whole body up on just her hands. Pivoting atop her hands, Aqua swung her whole body around, long legs swinging around and hooking behind the ankles of her foe. The sheer swiftness of the attack caught the magenta man off-guard, as Aqua swept his base away – like a tide washing away the sandy shores – and was knocked to the ground as well, landing on his back.

The momentum of the spin carried Aqua beyond the trip, twisting her body to face the now-prone enemy, while also switching back to a standing base. Rain Fall returned to her hand in a flash, and Aqua did not hesitate to use this opportunity. The intruder was, at the moment, trying to return to his feet as well, rolling on his side so that his masked visage and chest faced Aqua. With a underhanded swing, Rain Fall sliced through the air and the tips of the grassy plain, sharp angular teeth making contact with the breastplate of the blaring magenta armour. Aqua stepped into her attack, using everything she had – arms, legs, shoulders, back – and her effort was rewarded, the armoured man sent sailing across the ground, long reeds of grass sent flying in his wake, one arm desperately trying to find purchase and prevent his backward slide.

Aqua took the moment to catch her breath and reaffirm her position and her mission, eyes once more locking onto her foe. All she needed to do was play defense, there was no need to get too aggressive. If she could just ward off the attacker for a while, prevent him from accessing the tower, that's all it would take. She had spent ten years battling Heartless in the Realm of Darkness, nonstop, she was certain her stamina would avail her here if this became a battle of attrition.

The magenta man was looking down at his plated chest, resting on one knee. Despite all the power in Aqua's blow, there was no sign of damage on the armoured breastplate. No scuffs or scratches or marring of any kind. All the same, the intruder held a hand to the point of impact, before looking up at Aqua, inclining his head slightly and chuckling.

Once more, the mask on his helmet made him impossible to read.

_I shouldn't take this lightly, regardless. Even if I am just playing sentinel._ This little skirmish was still in it's early stages. Aqua was still feeling out her opponent, she was certain he was still doing the same. _He's strong. If I'm careless, I'll lose._

The invader stood back up, and once more began to make his approach.

_Fortunately, I still have plenty of tricks up my sleeve._

Extending her Keyblade outward, the blue-haired Master launched a series of fireball – pulling their power, an exploratory probe – all aimed at the center of mass of her foe.

The magenta man ran forward, not even attempting to dodge or block, just letting the flames sputter against his armour. Just like her earlier slash, the magical fire left no visible marks against the surface of the armour.

However, Aqua was not dismayed by the failure, now she knew she just had to put a bit more gas in her attacks. The instant the last fireball died, Aqua conjured a series of icicles, as long as from her fingertips to her elbow. The frigid projectiles hurled through the air, as the flames before had, whistling viciously as the threatened to skewer their target.

This time, sensing the danger present from the Blizzard spell, the invader came to a sudden stop, holding his ground in the face of the glacial assault. He then began to rapidly twirl his weapon, his fingers dancing along the smooth grip of the hilt. But, instead of holding in front of him like a fan to block, as Aqua expected, the armoured warrior just kept spinning at his side, as the icicle spears drew closer and closer.

The spinning weapon ceased it's rotation, firmly held within the clenched hand of it's wielder, the hilt now at a forty-five degree angle to the square book. The sword was now concealed and hidden away once more, but, the gun barrel perfectly aligned with the spine of the binder was now all too visible to Aqua.

Blazing violet laser bolts shot out from the sword-turned-gun, perfectly intercepting the incoming barrage of icicles, as they were only five or so feet away from making their mark. The magical ice shattered, broke, powdered, and disintegrated from the counter. Aqua quickly noted that her opponent did not overtax himself in the least with his gunfire; he fired five shots, the exact number of icicles she had created, and they all hit their mark.

The Keyblade Master and the armoured invader once more stared each other down. Another stalemate.

Again, the intruder inclined his head towards Aqua, as his left hand drifted towards one of the black handholds mounted on his overly-large belt. "You know, nowadays, when you hear about the Keyblade, you only get info about those three kids. But I heard about you. I remember you, from twelve years ago." As he spoke, the magenta man used his other hand to fold his weapon back into the basic binder, before clipping it onto his belt. Was he giving up? There was no way Aqua would believe such a thing, no way she would take such obvious bait. Something was up.

Aqua felt her muscles tense up and her expression harden, keeping on her guard, as her opponent continued to speak.

"The newly-made Master who had her entire life ripped away from her, only to persevere through it all and avert an apocalypse. I'm glad to see you more than live up to your own legend, Aquamaria Minerva."

That comment caused the blue-haired warrior to flinch. How in the world did he know her full name? How did he know so much about her and the others?

Aqua pushed pass this discomfort and fired back at her assailant. "I don't want your praise. And keep talking, because one way or another, you'll leave this place."

Both hands of the intruder were at work with their respective objects.

The right hand opened up the cover of the binder, grabbing on to something contained within.

The left hand, still clutched to the handhold, pulled it away from the rectangular belt buckle. In sync, both black pieces pulled away from the central hub, the hub itself spinning on a ninety-degree axis. A thin slot was now visible on the top of the belt.

"Maybe. But I've decided that I will have my share of fun before I depart."

With sudden, intense, and dramatic motion, the magenta man drew the object from his binder, revealing it to be a glossy card showing the image of... something in red and blue (Aqua wasn't quite sure what it was she saw). The invader flipped the card around – with the same amount of dramatic and striking energy as before – revealing a gear-like symbol on the opposite face, before driving the card downward, guiding it right into the newly-revealed slot on the belt.

All of the man's movements made it clear: he had been doing this for a long, long time.

A digital display projected from the lens of the belt, as a deep, synthesized voice sounded from the object, the man slamming the handholds shut, returning the belt to it's default position.

**[KAMEN RIDE: _Build!_]**

A furious haze of blue-and-red energy consumed the form of Aqua's opponent, who was completely caught by surprise by... whatever the hell this was. The basic silhouette of the man was still visible beyond the haze, but it seemed the armour surrounding him was changing. Into what, Aqua couldn't say. And for what means, she could say even less.

All the while, more artificial voices rang out from the belt, echoing through the night sky.

Little did Aqua know, this was the first time the Realm of Light had witnessed a being and an ability quite like this.

**[_Hagane no Moonsault! RABBITTANK! Yeah~_]**

The screen of light and noise cleared, and Aqua couldn't be sure if she was facing the same opponent, or someone both different and familiar. His armour had indeed changed, having become much more streamline and simple in design. The colours were now a contrasting mishmash of gleaming metallic blue and glossy dark red, with the entire suit essentially being jigsawed together, opposite pieces clashing and united against one another. The right arm, left leg, right half of the chest, and the left side of the face and visor were all red; the arm fully covered in the plate from fingers to shoulders, while segmented pieces wound around the leg in pieces. In contrast, the left arm, right arm, left chest piece, and right half of the head were coloured blue. The design of the arms and legs mirrored one another, though interestingly enough, a white spring seemed to be adhered over his left calf and thigh. Two mismatched antenna were molded into the visor, shooting off at sharp angles to form a broad V-shape to crest the circular helmet and two-toned visor.

The only thing that had not changed, the only things that identified him as the same intruder who appeared before, were his belt and weapon.

"Well, then, shall we begin the experiment?" The man pronounced in a bored tone, while running his index finger and thumb along the length of his right antenna.

Aqua reared back into her defensive stance again, ready for anything. Ready, specifically, for the slow, steady advance the invader had done twice before. His top-speed was high, for sure, but he took a gradual pace to achieve that velocity. More than enough time for Aqua to prepare a counter and execute.

Instead, however, her foe planted his feet firmly to the ground – right foot up front and left foot behind his body – and lowered his body into a crouch. The spring bound on his leg began to wind and coil-up, five thin rings bunching up into one singular mass.

Too quickly, did Aqua realize her mistake.

With one mighty, explosive leap, knocking up a cloud of dirt and grass from the titanic force of the bounding spring, the armoured stranger soared through the air, skimming over top of the island they were standing up, making a lightning-fast beeline for Aqua.

The spring reaching it's maximum storage point. The warrior leaving his feet. Him darting forward. It all happened so suddenly, Aqua barely had time to react.

"Barely" being the keyword, here.

At the last second, with the left armoured arm of the intruder reared back (almost imperceptible, as his body was a red-and-blue blur), Aqua called up her signature barrier – the dome of shimmering interlocking hexagonal panels. The same barricade that had been serving her for so long.

The hook punch of her enemy bounced off of Aqua's barrier, but the insane power behind that punch was so great it caused the shield to tremor. Aqua could feel said tremor in her body, her skin prickling and her teeth rattling in their sockets.

Clenching her jaw shut, Aqua dismissed her barrier to meet her opponent on equal ground, lashing out with Rain Fall, only for the newly transformed foe to easily dodge out of the way, bouncing away with light footsteps on his left-side. Aqua expected her attack to be returned with more sword slashes or gunfire, and was, once again, taken by surprise when she was engaged in melee, her Keyblade versus the fists and feet of her foe.

Hand-to-hand combat was most certainly Aqua's weakest combat form, far and away below both her magic and swordsmanship, and she couldn't remember a time she fought a truly humanoid foe who used an unarmed martial art. Even her defenses were a little rusty, she came to realize, as she was forced to weave and dodge the furious attacks rained against her.

From first contact, Aqua could see the contrasting colours and halves of this new form possessed different abilities. The punches and kicks from the red armoured limbs were precise and swift, while the strikes from the blue portions were steady and clearly powerful; she could feel the air being pushed away from the motion of the punches, as they narrowly zoomed around her head and shoulders.

_I've never faced anything like this! Just by changing his armour, he's completely changed his fighting style._ Aqua was frantically looking for an opening in the constant barrage of punches and kicks. A way to create space. At this point, the intruder was dictating the pace of the fight, and trying to force her into a corner.

Battle was like a dance, after all, and she needed to take the lead and set her own pace.

Aqua waited. She withstood the flurry of blows. She waited. Patient. Resolute. Clear-minded. Strong. Waiting for her moment.

The moment came when the invader fired another hook with his strong left arm. The attacks from the blue portions weren't necessarily slow, but Aqua had been able to dodge and defend against the speedy attacks from the red half. From her perspective, at this point in time, a punch from the blue-plated arm might as well have been traveling in slow-motion.

Lunging forward, Aqua pressed the blade of Rain Fall into the elbow of the left arm, entrapping it and halting the strike. Pushing all of her weight against her Keyblade, Aqua forced the arm back further and further, causing her opponent to pivot uncontrollably, opening up his body for Aqua's next move. She held her left arm out, palm placed over the center of the man's sternum. A powerful spell with enough concussive force, from this close a range, would be more than enough to send the magenta man flying. Fire, or Aero, or Water. Easy enough for a master mage like Aqua. She just needed that split-second for that spark to ignite.

The left leg of the armoured man shot forth, kneeing Aqua in the stomach.

All the air in her body was violently expelled from her chest, her clenched teeth exploding open as a result. Spittle and phlegm flew through the air, as Aqua was forcibly thrown to the ground for a second time.

Scrabbling on the ground, trying to catch her breath and purchase, Aqua turned just in time to see her opponent crouching down, low to the ground, the spring bound to his leg coiled tightly. As he did before, he launched into the air in one gigantic leap, shooting straight up into the sky.

Straight up the length of Yen Sid's tower.

When Aqua was down, he had crossed the line, moved beyond the point she declared she would defend. And now, he was coming closer and closer to the apex of the tower. Where the wizened sorcerer's sanctum was.

Alarm and panic surged through Aqua's mind. Had she failed? Was this plan the entire time? Just how much danger would he pose to Yen Sid and the others?

_I need to move and counter. I can't let him hurt Sora or the others!_

Despite the pain from the hammering blow to her stomach, Aqua began to move and theorize a counterattack, her entire body brimming with energy that took the form of a faint lilac aura cast over her body.

However, to her immense relief, the armoured attacker reached the apex of his jump, around ten-feet away from the peak of the tower, before he began his perilous descent, divebombing right on Aqua's position. A two-toned missile plunging at terminal velocity.

_I'm done playing defensive. He's too much of a threat for that. Time to bring out the big guns and drive him away!_

The aura around the body of the the Keyblade Master flared into a bright, shining nova.

"Armatize!"

**[Keyblade Armatization: Spellweaver!]**

Proving that transformation was not just the providence of her opponent, Aqua's form began to shift, in a much less drastic measure. The slight heel to her boots leveled out, leaving her feet flushed flat against the earth, while the hooks mounted at her angles rotated about so that their tips pointed into the air. The hooked decals continued to grow and change, straightening out and lengthening upward to her knees, and framing her legs by shooting out at a forty-five degree angle. The cloth tied about her waist changed, as well, the fabric dyeing itself to a hue near identical to the aura engulfing it's wearer, while it lengthened out, too, forming twin shimmering tails that danced behind the Keyblade Master.

Rain Fall also underwent a visible change, as it's teeth folded into the blade, a ribbon of bright light spouted from the now bare tip. Aqua's hand released it's grip around the Keyblade, but, instead of falling to the ground, the newly formed Keyblade Armatus stayed suspended in the air, floating near it's Master, at the ready to strike.

The entire change took place in less than a second, ending with Aqua taking aim at the sky and firing a series of orbs of light at her plummeting foe. Without much ability to maneuver against he oncoming attack, the orbs burst against the red-and-blue armour of the invader, who responded by changing course, now landing ten-feet away from the blue-haired Key Bearer, rolling across the grassy field before popping back up.

Immediately, Aqua went on the attack, seizing the initiative at long last. Another hail of light orbs launched from her Armatus, homing in on the intruder, but the agility granted to him by the red portions of his armour allowed him to weave and dodge this magical onslaught. While this was going on, the unknown had his hand on his holstered binder-sword, opening the case up again.

Aqua had him on the ropes at long last. Now, it was time for her to press the advantage.

In the blink of an eye, Aqua's entire body phased through space, not necessarily moving at any kind of velocity, but more like her being just changed locations without any physical motion required.

One moment, she was a dozen feet off of her opponent.

The very next, she was suddenly behind him, raking the ribbon-capped Spellweaver against his back.

And the next after that, she was once more in front of him, perilously close, scoring a direct hit with a thrust to the chest.

The palpable hits finally had the desired effect of staggering the intruder, causing him to grunt under his breath. The last strike also sent him flying back, crashing into the dirt, away from the tower. Even if Aqua was done playing defensively, she couldn't get sloppy and let him access Yen Sid's sanctum.

Twirling the Keyblade and ribbon above her head, Aqua charged up another flurry of light orbs, while the intruder sprung back up to his feet, clutching another one of those strange cards in his hand.

"Wow, Form Change sure is popular these days, isn't it?" The figure commented in a lackadaisical tone, while pulling at the grips of his belt again, opening up the card slot in the device. As if to punctuate his point, the invader held his new card out, tapping it with his index finger. "Of course, when it comes to both quantity and quality, I think I've got you beat."

The transfigured magenta man quickly inserted the card into the hub, just as Aqua launched her attack, a dozen luminous spheres coming right for him.

**[KAMEN RIDE: _Ex-Aid!_]**

Just as it had when he changed from his magenta form to the red-and-blue one, a haze of energy surrounded the armoured figure. Aqua's light orbs came at a moment too late, striking the alien aura but inflicting no visible damage.

Beneath the cloud, Aqua could see her opponent was changing once more.

**[_Mighty Jump! Mighty Kick! Mighty, MIGHTY ACTION! X!_]**

This new form was both more streamlined than ever before, and also even more garish than the boxy magenta armour the invader originally appeared in! It was less like he was clad in armour and instead something more akin to a sleek bodysuit – coloured an impossibly bright pink, no less. Black sleeves covered both the forearms and shins of this new form, with bands of lime green separating the brightest of pink from the darkest of black. The only bit of actual protective plating seemed to be a silvery breast plate decorated with strange markings: some sort of digital meter or gauge along with four coloured buttons arrange in an even-armed cross. For a moment, Aqua thought it looked like part of a video game controller she had seen Sora use at one point. The helmet was simply bizarre, too; coloured bright pink like the rest of the suit but with a great crest of spiky hair sculpted onto the top of it, curved and parted to the left and wilder and taller than even Sora's own.

Finally, in place of the multifaceted insect eyes was a pair of goggles set against the helmet, with large, cartoonish eyes drawn on them, permanently frozen in an expression of confident determination.

New form or not, Aqua continued her assault, once more teleporting behind the transforming invader. This time, however, instead of Spellweaver slashing against the back and shoulders of her foe, he nimbly dodged out of the way the moment Aqua reappeared. Again and again, Aqua warped in and out of physical space, appearing all around her opponent and striking when she did, only to have every move fail to find purchase.

Where before, her teleportation had given her an edge, now the intruder danced around her attacks with ease. Was he even more agile in this form than the dual-toned one?

Aqua warped away from her foe and began to charge up another array of spells. If physical attacks weren't the answer, then she would return to her wheelhouse.

But, before Aqua could cast her frigid Blizzaga burst, her opponent gave her pause when he spoke, "Answer me this, Master Minerva." Aqua gritted her teeth, visibly on edge. This guys kept using her full name or her surname, and it bothered her something fierce. "Do you play video games?"

Aqua almost lost control of her spell, the question was so random and unexpected. What did that matter? Why did he care? Why would you ask that in a fight?

"I'll take that as a no." The intruder replied, while cartwheeling away from garbage can sized chunks of ice. "Then allow me to give you a bit of a lesson."

Aqua launched a scorching fireball that arced high into the air before exploding into a rain of fire. The intruder backflipped away, causing the cascade of cinders to only make contact with the lawn, burning and blazing the grass to a crisp.

"There's all sorts of wonderful things you can draw from a video game." As the man continued to yammer on, Aqua warped behind him again, lashing out with her Armatus. Her opponent simply reflexively backed away at every thrust and slash.

"Power-up items, for instances. All kinds of goodies tucked away in the world to give the player an upgrade."

The Keyblade Master pirouetted on her right foot, turning her body into a whirling dervish, delivering a series of spinning kicks amplified by the bladed hook attached to her leg. Two of the kicks were avoided, again, but the third found purchase – the invader unable to dodge and forced to block with his forearm. Despite the apparent thinness and lightness of this new form, the armour was still sturdy enough to block Spellweaver.

"Growth. Super speed. Strength. Extra health. Invincibility. So many wonderful things to be found and used."

The armoured man broke into a sprint, running away from Aqua and the flurry of lightning bolts she summoned down, making a decent enough pace as to avoid being fried by the magical storm.

Without warning, and without paying too much thought to it at the time, a large, plastic brown box appeared on the grassy island, innocently floating in the air.

The invader came to a skidding halt, stopping in front of the box he had created, before finally going back on offense. He drew his binder-weapon – configured as the laser gun – before raining energy pellets against Aqua, breaking her concentration and her magical onslaught. The blue-haired Master summoned up her barrier, easily deflecting all the shots; they didn't have nearly enough power to pierce the magical wall, but the barrage came fast and often enough that Aqua would be pinned down if she didn't close the gap and attack.

Unfortunately, that is exactly what her opponent was counting on.

Aqua blinked out and then blinked back in, high overhead her opponent, wielding Spellweaver telekinetically, sending the weapon spiraling out like a circular saw. The intruder was seemingly anticipating such a strike, as he slid along the surface of the lawn, right under the arc of Aqua's attack. Spellweaver continued to cut through empty air, before eventually smashing into the brown box her opponent had summoned. As if it were made of glass or porcelain, the box shattered – almost exploding outwards – upon the moment of impact, but there was something within the box as well. Something bright purple. Aqua could not get a good look as to what the purple object was, for the instant Spellweaver grazed the surface of it, the object vanished in a flash of light, absorbed into the Master via her weapon and their connection.

"But some power-ups are simply objectively bad for the user. The colloquial poison mushroom..."

The armoured invader chuckled darkly, as Aqua touched back down to the ground.

Aqua's entire body lurched. The entire world began to spin and tumble. Her legs felt like rubber or jelly, barely able to support her frame. Her stomach roiled as wave after wave of nausea assaulted her body.

_W-what... what is happening?_

Trying to ignore everything wrong with her body, the Keyblade Master tried to take a step forward towards her enemy, only to feel the ground shift beneath her feet, sending her tumbling to the ground. The earth itself felt like it was warping and bending and distending, shifting in shape and consistency. Aqua's entire world turned muddy, as if solid ground no longer existed, as her eyesight failed her, as all her senses failed her! The world was spinning and blurring, black along the edges, and everything else was fuzzy and saturated. Aqua's head whipped around wildly, looking for... something?

What was she looking for? What was she doing here?

_I was... I was..._ Her head was all stuffy and cloudy. Yes, those were words. Those were words Aqua knew. _I was... buying a gift for Riku's quincenera!_

Something collided with the dazed Master's head, cracking along her temple and driving her to the ground.

The impact did little to resolve her cloudy, stuffy brain, but it did tell Aqua her first thought was wrong.

_I need to... I need to walk Kairi's plants and water her dog!_

Another blow struck her, catching Aqua in the ribs. The force was enough to send her flying into the air. Something was attacking her, that much was clear even in her dazed state.

_I can walk Kairi's plants later, I need to figure this out first..._

With great effort, Aqua mustered all the remaining concentration she had in her mentally confused, physically ill form a current of magic around her. She didn't trust her sense of direction to fire an attack back at whatever hit her, so the next best bet would be...

_To attack from all directions!_

A raging cyclone formed around Aqua, winds so fierce and strong they obscured her vision even more, grass and dirt and detritus kicked up into the air. Aqua was also certain she thought she saw an bright pink-and-green thing be picked up and thrown about by her Aeroga spell, but discounted it immediately and blamed it as hallucination caused by her confusion.

"Es... E-esuna!"

Blue, purifying energies surged through Aqua's body, and, within seconds, she felt infinitely better. The nausea and discombobulation that ruled her ended, as her mind and memory cleared up. Whatever the hell the intruder had done to her had proven very effective – her jaw and ribs throbbed from the punches and kick she withstood, not to mention her Armatized state had ended due to her inability to concentrate, Spellweaver returning to Rain Fall – but she wasn't out of the fight just yet.

And, even while dazed and confused, she was able to score a direct hit on the armoured foe, tossing him into the air and slamming him to the ground. That little victory meant something.

Unfortunately, victory turned bitter in Aqua's mouth, as she saw her foe already fully recovered from the Aeroga wild ride, standing up and loading yet another card into his belt.

"As to be expected of a Keyblade Master. Even a bad status won't hold you back." Quickly, the invader slipped the card in and slammed the device shut. "Once more!"

**[KAMEN RIDE: _OOO!_]**

The screen of energy appeared around his body once more, signifying the "Form Change". Even if she wanted to, Aqua couldn't strike or counter at this juncture, as she was still trying to regain her bearings from before the confusion spell... or whatever that was. However, she did have enough wherewithal to notice one distinct difference between this transformation and the other two. One very strange difference. The belt didn't speak this time around, instead it began to _sing_ of all things, accompanied by a jaunty guitar tune.

**[_Ta-To-Ba! TaToBa Ta-To-Ba!_]**

The new armoured form was more inline in style with the red-and-blue form, that is to say, it possessed actual armoured plating instead of just being a body suit. The majority of the form was an all black exosuit with splashes of vibrant colour in the form of additional laminate overlay, creating three distinct segments of different colours. The circular, green multifaceted visor was back, this time with a metallic red mask formed around the two eyes, the mask taking the vague shape of some sort of bird. Sunshine yellow bracers and gloves were affixed to the arms, with some sort of bladed protrusion grafted to the topside of the forearm, mounted on a hinge at the wrist. Segmented green plate ran up and down the legs and feet of the armour, as well.

Mounted square center on his chest was a circular shielded plate, divided into three portions, and bearing the image of three different animals which aligned to the tricolour of the suit – a red hawk, a yellow tiger, and a green grasshopper. Coloured lines drew themselves from the plate up to the head, across to the arms, and down to the legs, connecting the armoured segments with their respective animal.

Yet again, his belt and weapon did not change during the transformation.

This time, Aqua did not hesitate, charging straight for opponent, throwing caution to the wind. He was far to tricky and wily to leave to his own devices. Far too many tricks up his sleeve. Caution and defense served her well, normally, but now it was time go all-out and fight!

Proceeding Aqua's advance was a screen of water bullets, screaming through the air with their caster not far behind. The invader's response came quickly, as the green plate attached to his legs flashed with a bright light, before he (yet again) soared into the air, jumping to a height of twenty-feet. Whatever these alternate forms were, they all seemed to have incredible leaping abilities in common.

With great ease, the armoured stranger sailed over both Aqua and her spell, immediately charging back at her the moment he landed. Aqua was ready thought, stopping her momentum on a dime and switching directions, rushing back to her opponent. Another burst of light flashed from the armour – shimmering gold – as the blades connected to the bracers folded out, forming triple-bladed wrist-mounted claws.

Aqua fired another barrage, a mix of flame and ice, as the two warriors continued to close the distance between them. Infuriatingly enough, the intruder somehow was able to dodge the spellfire yet again, perfectly weaving through the narrowest gaps between the fireballs and ice spears, as if he could see the path and steps necessary, as if he could trace the movement of the magic attacks even at full-speed.

The two warriors clashed, Keyblade colliding with claws, the sound of gnashing metal resounding through space, sparks flying from the contact. Aqua resolved herself to win this clash, this lock, but had one distinct disadvantage compared to her opponent: he had two claws, whereas she had only the singular blade. With the right claw locked up, the invader swiped at Aqua's head with his other claw, forcing her to weave away, breaking away. Both claws now free, Aqua was forced on the back foot, dodging away from the furious slashes and thrusts of the weaponized bracers, too fast for Aqua to find an opening and strike with Rain Fall.

_If that's the case, then I'll make an opening!_

Blocking a low thrust from the right, wedging Rain Fall's haft in the gap between two of the claws, and then dodging an overhead rake from the left, Aqua twisted the grip on her Keyblade, forcibly bending the arm of her opponent, causing his balance to wobble just for a moment. That momentary break in the action was what Aqua was aiming for, as the blue-haired Master hopped into the air, twisting her body and planting both feet on the circular plate of the intruder's chest. With all the strength she could muster, Aqua kicked off the base that was her opponent, launching herself backwards and knocking her foe even further off-kilter.

Shooting for even more separation than her kicks provided, Aqua took aim at the head of her opponent, leveling the tip of Rain Fall at his head, just as she had at the start of the fight, before unleashing a torrent of water. The geyser caught the armoured warrior full force, sweeping him away, as Aqua gracefully landed to her feet.

"I gave you fair warning to leave this place. You had your chance." Aqua raised her Keyblade into the air, once more channeling her mana, causing a golden glyph in the form of a clock face to cast itself on the ground. "Now I'm done playing around."

A golden nimbus cloaked the Keyblade Master, as the intruder planted his claws into the ground, serving as a physical break to catch himself from flying any further.

"Bring it on. This is the first real fight I've had in a long while."

Just as she had while in her Spellweaver form, Aqua vanished from sight, only to reappear behind the warrior, slamming the teeth of Rain Fall into the armoured back of her foe. He staggered forward, only for Aqua to appear in front of him, slashing at his midsection. Unlike before, it wasn't true teleportation, but simply Aqua moving at high-speed thanks to her Haste spell. But the difference was inconsequential at this point. All she needed to do was keep on offense. Keep up the pressure. Keep her promise to protect Kairi and the others.

Aqua dashed forward again, almost imperceptible to the naked eye. To the naked eye of a normal person that is.

The visor of the intruder glared with dangerous light for a second, as the leg armour charged up once more.

The invader's leaping ability proved to be more than enough to keep up with Aqua's enhanced speed, as the two were able to keep perfect pace with one another. If they had an audience to visibly witness this encounter, they would be hopelessly lost, only able to perceive two blurs moving at high velocity – one blue and gold, one a tricolour of red, yellow, and green.

The two were unable to score a definitive edge on each other, Aqua's especially frustrated with that fact, due to having been on the advantage not too long ago. For everything she threw at this foe, he seemed to have the perfect answer to it. Not necessarily to straight-up counter her, mind, but enough of an answer to keep forcing a stalemate. Her magic was having little to no effect, her physical strikes only seemed to score glancing blows at best, and this foe keep perfectly keep up with any changes in tempo she created.

_Just who is this person? Where did they come from? How do they have power on par with a Keyblade Master?_

The armoured foe dove at Aqua, claws fully extended, like a tiger pouncing on it's prey, only for Aqua to slip away and behind, both combatants racing away from each other, before readying for another clash. Aqua took a running start, as the intruder bounded high into the air once more. Aqua chose to meet her opponent, using the running start to perform an almost equivalent jump. As the Master rapidly ascended upward, her opponent reached his apex and began his descent, claws out, glinting in the starry night's sky.

Aqua hurled Rain Fall at her opponent. Yes, he had the high-ground and the advantage of speed right now, but she had the reach.

The teeth of the Keyblade collided with the breastplate of the intruder, before immediately being recalled into the waiting hand of it's Master. The blow caught him completely off guard, breaking his fighting pose and guard, the invader now completely open for Aqua's follow-up. The Master rocketed through the air, colliding with the warrior, slamming Rain Fall into his chest with a hammering blow, rattling him even further. A direct hit! More than a direct hit! It was the first solid blow Aqua had scored during the entire encounter. The invader's entire body had gone slack. And now she had control – he was helpless in the air – all she had to do was bring him to the ground and then -

The right leg of her opponent arced through the air, smashing Aqua in the side of the head with a vicious roundhouse kick.

Both combatants plummeted back to the ground, crashing into the hard earth, both having taken a vicious hit from the aerial exchange. Aqua's vision blurred for a second, her ears ringing. The aura and effect of her Haste spelled died with a weak sputter. It felt like her head was going to split open. Even getting up to her hands and knees was a struggle. But, despite the pain radiating in her head, Aqua's pride was hurt even more. Another counter. Another stalemate. It was beyond infuriating.

"You know, I've had a lot of fun today, Master Minerva. I've really had." Already, the armoured warrior was already back to his feet, speaking with shuddering breath. More importantly, he had reverted back to his original form: the boxy magenta armour. "But I'm afraid I have to split and run. I have something much more important to do."

In a flash of light, the armour peeled away, revealing... a human man. An oddly nondescript and plain looking man – he looked to be in his late-twenties or early-thirties, dark brown hair cut short with long bangs covering his forehead, dressed in a magenta shirt and dark sports jacket. Dark, opaque sunglasses shielded his eyes. He still wore the belt his armoured selves had possessed, while also carrying a rectangular camera attached to a lanyard worn around his neck.

All in all, considering the fantastical nature of his powers and appearance, his identity was an all too generic and disappointing reveal.

"I've found my way in."

A rip in space opened up. Not a swirling abyss like a Corridor of Darkness, but a rough square block of wavering grey light, almost like a cloud, partially reflective, constantly shifting in it's structure and design.

The man took a step backwards, toward the rift, as Aqua realized just what was happening. He was trying to breech into the dream! But... that should be impossible. There's no way he could have possibly found a way into the Constructed World, into the dreams. That just wasn't possible!

Quickly judging the distance between them and the distance between him and the rift, Aqua figured there was no way she could stop this. She was helpless. She couldn't do anything. She was failing her friends... again!

"Wait. Wait!" Aqua cried out, still clambering to her feet. "Just... who are you?" It was weak. Irrelevant. It was all she could manage to say.

The invader inclined his head, smirking as he stood on the precipice of his rift.

"Me? I'm just a Kamen Rider, passing through this place. Oh. And, also I'm..." The man removed his sunglasses, revealing his dark eyes, as they shone with all too evident malice.

"The Destroyer of Worlds."

Before Aqua could react or respond – even say a single word – the grey cloudy mirror of a portal grew in size, consuming the invader within it's mass. For a brief moment, he remained visible beneath the surface in the form of a flickering shadow, before that shade was whisked away.

The portal and the intruder were gone, leaving Aqua, alone. Dumbstruck. Terrified. Regretful.

"This is bad. Very, very bad..."

**-D/D/D-**

"Master Yen Sid! Master Yen Sid!"

Aqua's breathless cries proceeded her entry through the doorway to the elder Master's sanctum, almost collapsing as she passed through the threshold, having taken the stairs at triple pace.

Yen Sid rose from his chair, alarmed by Aqua's sudden appearance and panicked demeanour. But, before he could even ask what was wrong, more words tumbled out of Aqua's mouth.

"The intruder! He got away! We fought, he's very strong, I couldn't -"

"Master Aqua, do compose yourself." Yen Sid's word weren't meant to be harsh, but rather a gentle reminder to try and get his fellow Master to focus on explain in a clear, concise manner. It didn't help that it was strange to see the normally reserved and collected young woman to be in such disarray.

Aqua caught on to what Yen Sid was aiming for, taking a deep breath to settle herself, calming herself before standing up to full height.

"Now, explain yourself, please. Why are you so worked up if this intruder escaped? Surely that is the most welcomed outcome."

"We fought, but he seemed to do it just to buy time. He... he claimed that he could enter the Constructed Worlds."

Yen Sid's normally stern and unflappable expression faltered for a moment, letting out a dismissive sound. "That is quite impossible, I assure you." Aqua thought that, as well, but she couldn't shake a terrible feeling from her encounter with this intruder. "What else can you tell me about this person? Do you know who it was you faced."

Aqua went to describe the appearance of her foe, but stopped. His human self was far too plain to be of much use identifying him, while his armoured forms were too varied and complex. Describing the physical appearance wouldn't get them anywhere.

"He called himself a 'Kamen Rider'." Aqua recalled. Those two words got Yen Sid's attention, worry flashing in his eyes as his brow furrowed. "And then said he was 'The Destroyer of Worlds'..." Full blown shock and horror appeared on the wizened visage of Yen Sid. Never had Aqua seen such a reaction from the elder Keyblade Master.

"This... this cannot be..." Muttering to himself, Yen Sid rose from his chair and moved to a nearby bookshelf, perusing the various tomes stored there.

"What is a Kamen Rider anyways?" Now that she thought, Aqua had never heard such a term before. She may have been missing from the Realm of Light for ten years, but she was certain if beings such as that existed, she would have heard of them before.

"They were a group of warriors tasked with protecting the worlds of the Realm of Heroes." Yen Sid pulled out a leather-bound tome covered in cryptic runes, before returning to his desk. Unlike most of the books in possession of the sorcerer, this one did not look all too old or well-used.

Aqua, meanwhile, was only growing more confused. "Wait, 'were'? And... 'Realm of Heroes'?"

Yen Sid looked up at the young woman, a dark and stern expression etched onto his face, as he blindly flipped through the book. "What I am about to divulge is usually well-guarded information. But, you are one of three Keyblade Masters left, and this is a time of crisis... The greater universe as we know it is divided into seven Realms – each a universe unto itself, and each Realm paired and synchronized with it's opposite. Their is our Realm of Light and the Realm of Darkness, of course. Then, the Realm of Heroes and the Realm of Monsters, along with the Realm of Matter and the Realm of Spirits. In between all six of these sits the Realm of Twilight, serving as a point of balance between the others."

Aqua nodded along. What Yen Sid was saying wasn't too too complex on it's face, but it was still a lot for one person to take in all of a sudden. "Alright, I understand, but what exactly does the cosmology of the universe have to do with this Rider person?"

Yen Sid's hands came to a stop, fingers tracing along a page of his book. "Because, some time ago, there was a great unknown calamity in the Realm of Heroes that wiped out all life within the Realm. A complete, universal extinction event. All life gone... except for one being..."

Propping the book up, Yen Sid spun it around so that Aqua could clearly see whatever lay on the page the sorcerer desperately searched for. It was unmistakable, that form. That image. Even when rendered in a black-and-white ink drawing. It was an image of the armoured figure Aqua had just fought, along with a caption reading "_Tsukasa Kadoya – Decade_".

"Kamen Rider Decade, The Destroyer of Worlds! A demon who freely travels through time and space, leaving only chaos and destruction in his wake!"

Aqua felt the dread rise up in the back of her throat, the menace of both the memory of her opponent and his reputation laid before her eyes. And, clearly, if Yen Sid was worried and worked up, this was something to take seriously. He was the smartest and most wise being in all the Realm of Light. He was always level-headed and stoic, even in the face of the most dire threats.

Swallowing her feelings and steadying herself, Aqua asked, "Well... that is a fearsome reputation, Master, but why is he making an enemy of us now? And, regardless of who or what he is, like you said, there's no way anyone can cross into the Constructed Worlds. Sora, Kairi, and Riku are still safe, right?"

"Whatever Decade's motivations may be, I cannot say." Yen Sid replied, turning the book back to himself. "I have done my best to keep tabs on him, as best I can, but he is rarely active in the Realm of Light. As for the matter of the Constructed Worlds..." The elder Master's face grew darker and grimmer.

Aqua's own face grew more exasperated and worried. "Sora, Kairi, and Riku are still safe. Right?" Aqua repeated, more for herself than anything else.

"It is written here that Decade has his own method of transit; his own paths between space he can use, like the Dark Corridors; the Dimension Walls. Decade can freely cross between worlds, between Realms, even able to cross over to alternate realities and parallel dimensions. If there is anyone who can breech the Constructed Realms, the dreams created by this deep sleep, it would be Decade."

Aqua felt as if the world was crashing down around her. This was not suppose to happen. This was just suppose to be a simple test. Sora and Kairi and Riku were just suppose to go to sleep, and then wake up as Masters, because they were amazing people who would surely succeed in this task. It was all suppose to be so simple and go so smoothly!

"No. No, no, no, no..." Words just fell out of Aqua's mouth, without conscious thought behind them. Just raw emotion. "We need to stop this. Master, put me to sleep! Let me enter the Constructed World to protect those three!" Aqua begged, slamming a hand on the table, demandingly.

"That, I'm afraid, cannot be done." Yen Sid said, shutting his eyes, looking rather frustrated. Helpless. "Even if I put you to sleep, you would only wake up in your own World. Even if you entered one of their hearts, it would only put you at the Station of Waking. Whatever World Sora and the others are in would forever be beyond your reach."

Aqua clenched her teeth together. The Constructed World was suppose to keep the three of them safe, but now it was being used to bar their way? An insurmountable distance between Aqua and the three younger Bearers?

"Then... we need to wake them up. Right now!" Aqua's mind was frazzled. Racing. She couldn't beat this Decade, so what would happen when he matched up against one of the others? "We cannot protect them from here, we need to wake them up!" The solution seemed so perfect and simple, but Yen Sid only glowered at the suggestion, seemingly intractable. "Master, I understand the Mark of Mastery is important, but it's not worth their lives!"

"I agree Master Aqua, but there is more at play than just that." Yen Sid's tenor remained calm, even as Aqua's grew more and more frayed. "The heart cannot be so easily fooled. The magicks used to put it to sleep in this spell can only be used once. Once a person has been put to sleep and drifted into the Constructed World and then returns to the waking one, they cannot return ever again. The heart will resist the spell, guaranteed."

"So?" Aqua couldn't believe what she was hearing. "We don't need the Constructed World to test them. We can come up with something else!" Despite Aqua's passionate protest, Yen Sid continued, calm and steady as ever.

"In the two years since your return, we have all worked feverishly to return those last souls to us. Roxas. Namine. Ventus. Terra. But in all that time, we have exhausted numerous leads and have nothing to show for it." Now Aqua was beyond confused. What did this have to do with the Mark of Mastery? With anything? "We do know, however, that the hearts of Roxas and Ventus sleep deep within Sora's own. Likewise, Kairi undoubtedly carries Namine with her. And, if there is anyone in this Realm with a connection Terra's heart, then it would be Riku." Yen Sid sighed, shutting his eyes once more.

"Master Aqua, I am afraid I have not been one-hundred percent honest with you. There was one other reason as to why I broached this specific method as to test our three young Bearers. I believe that if the three of them dive deep enough into their hearts, it will reveal a path forward to reviving the four people we have lost along the way. But, if we pull them out now, then they may be lost to us, forever. Their hearts out of reach from all means we possess."

Aqua shook her head in disbelief, eyes wide with shock. This couldn't be happening. To choice between her family she so desperately sought after and the three new friends she cherished and loved? How could she ever do that? Terra or Riku. Ventus or Sora. Kairi... What sort of cruel god would present her with this choice?

"What... what can we do, then?"

Silence followed Aqua's question, as Yen Sid sat in thought, eyes trained on his crystal ball.

"...I will monitor the situation. I assure you, that if any of them are in mortal danger by the hands of Decade, then I will pull them out of the dream. But, we cannot be hasty in our actions. Many things are on the line here, the least of which is their Mastery. We need to be patient. We need to be resolute and adamant in the face of this pressure.

"We need to wait."

Aqua's worry gave way to anger. Irritation. Frustration at the situation. Her hands balled up into angry fists, as she clenched her teeth, silently cursing herself and the situation. If she had just been strong enough, she could have stopped Decade. She could have stopped this.

Then again, if she had been strong enough twelve years ago, she could have stopped Xehanort and Vanitas. She could have saved Terra and Ven and Master Eraqus. She could have saved her family.

But Aqua wasn't strong enough. Not then. Not now. Not ever. And all she could do now, as she did back then, was wait.

Aqua hated waiting.

* * *

**Character File #04**

**Aquamaria "Aqua" Minerva**** (Kingdom Hearts: Birth By Sleep; 2010 Video Game)  
Home World:** Unknown  
**Date of Birth:** February 3 1242 UE (Island Reckoning)/514 Age of Phoenix (Garden Reckoning)  
**Age/Zodiac Sign:** 22 (physically)/32 (mentally) (Aquarius)  
**Height:** 6'/1.83 M  
**Weight:** 166 lbs/75.3 kg

**Occupation:** Keyblade Master/Freelance Adventurer  
**Family:** Birth family unknown; Eraqus (adoptive father; deceased), Terra (nonblood brother; missing), Ventus (nonblood brother; missing)  
**Hobbies & Interests:** Dance, Reading, Mythology, The History of the Keyblade and it's Masters

**Favourite Foods:**  
-Herbal and chai teas  
-Soba noodles  
-Prawns and scallops  
-Chocolate truffles

**Least Favourite Foods:**  
-Red meat  
-Eggplant  
-Kimchi, natto, and other heavily fermented foods

* * *

_Decade, The Destroyer of Worlds. What do your eyes see, as your travel through the many worlds?_

_Well, here we have it, folks. My big reveal for the story (which some of you have already sussed) is that we're doing a Kingdom Hearts/Kamen Rider Decade crossover. This is something I've always wanted to do, mostly because there are some odd parallels I've noticed between Decade and KH. Namely, the concept of freely traveling between many worlds – the worlds of the Realm of Light or the AR Rider Words – memory being massively important in both series, as well, seeing as how KH did an entire game revolving around memories, as well as Tsukasa's resurrection in Movie Wars 2010 (still a great scene, BTW). But the one thing that stood out to me the most was that both Decade and the Keyblade itself have a reputation of causing calamity. Of being a catastrophe yet to happen. They have a reputation of destruction. Sora was out and out told this in his first visit to Atlantica, and Decade was constantly hounded by his reputation as a "demon" as he visited the AR Worlds. Of course, Tsukasa isn't anywhere near a swell person as Sora, but that's beside the point..._

_But, despite all that, I'm not really a big fan of Kamen Rider Decade the TV series itself. Not going to get into it all that much, but the show has problems is all I'll say. But Decade is still a very cool concept, and while I think Tsukasa is lacking as a protagonist, he makes for a fun supporting character and antagonist. And now he is on his way to torment our three heroic Key Bearers. How fun..._

_I also know exactly _why_ it has taken me so long to do a KH/Decade crossover (or even a KH/Rider crossover, in general)... and that's because describing Rider armour is hard, man! I want to find whoever decided to make the Decade suit so needlessly complicated and slap them! At least OOO and Build have (relatively) straightforward and streamlined designs..._

_Speaking of, if you were wondering, yes, there is a reason as to why Tsukasa specifically turns into Build, Ex-Aid, and OOO. But you'll have to wait and see on that one._

_But, before we get into all the possibilities of this story, I do have one announcement. That, for the time being, this story will be going on hiatus. In hindsight, I probably shouldn't have written and published this story at this time, and just focused on Light. But, when I was working on Light again, I had this idea for this story, to finally do this idea, and I just went for it. I wanted to have this proof of concept. So, yeah, DDD will be on hiatus for the time being while I put more of my energy and attention to She Will Light The Way. That is not to say this story will not update until SWLTW will be finished, it just will update less frequently. Don't worry, Decade will still have his day._

_So, until we head into this second arc of the story and things really start to ratchet up, take care, dear traveler. And remember..._

_Subete o hakaisuru. Subete o tsunagu._


End file.
